Part 18 (2/2)
”I'll fix you!” he roared, scrae ”I'll show you what I can do! How do you like that, you poorhouse rat!”
This time he hit Dave in the breast The bloas a heavy one, but it did not hurt nearly as much as did the words which accoue, and, all in a blaze he could not curb, he sprang towards Link Merwell Out shot first one fist and then the other, the blows landing on the eye and chin of the tall youth They ainst the ice-boat Then caasp, swayed froht hiain!”
”Merwell, do you take back what you just said?” de no attention to Nat Poole's remark
There was an instant of silence Link Meranted to answer, but was too dazed to do so Slowly and painfully he stood erect His head was in a whirl and one eye was rather rapidly closing
”Merwell, are you going to take back what you said?” deain And he held his fist ready to strike another blow
”Ye--yes,” stuttered Link Merwell ”Do--don't hit ain!” And then he collapsed in a heap at Dave's feet
CHAPTER XII
THE MEETING OF THE GEE EYES
When Link Merent down again Dave looked at Nat Poole, thinking that lad ht possibly attack hi but back away to a safe distance
”Don--don't you dare to hitvoice
”Don't you dare! If you do I'll tell Doctor Clay!”
”If you behave yourself I'll not lay ht this on himself--you know that as well as I do”
”He's pretty badly hurt, I fear”
”Oh, he'll coht,” answered Dave ”You had better see to it that he gets to the Hall safely”
”Are you going to leave me?”
”Yes, I want to find Henshaw and the others”
Nat Poole wanted to argue, but he did not dare Dave waited until Link Merwell sat up and opened his eyes Then he leaped on the ice-boat and flung off the three skates he found there
”Going away?” mumbled Merwell, when he could speak
”Yes, and after this, Link Merwell, see that you keep a civil tongue in your head,” answered Dave, and then he trimmed the sail of the ice-boat, shoved the craft around, and started for the river
Dave was a good deal ”worked up,” but he had not deemed it wise to let his ene hiain when touched on that subject he had found his teovernable as ever
”It's no use, I can't stand it,” he told hiot to cut that out”