“Well, he wants to lay his trail clear of mine,” growled Buckhart. “I’m getting a heap impatient with him, and I’ll be liable to do him damage if he provokes me further by his sneaking style.” A little man with a very fierce, gray mustache and imperial came dodging hither and thither amid the passengers, caught sight of Miss Ketchum, hastened forward, doffed his military hat, and made a sweeping bow. “Madam,” he said, “it will affo’d me great pleasure to see yo’ safely on shore.” “My dear Major Fitts,” said Sarah Ann, “I am truly grateful for your gallant thoughtfulness. Professor, permit me to introduce you to Major Mowbry Fitts, of Natchez, Mississippi. Major, this is Professor Zenas Gunn, principal of Fardale Military Academy, a very famous school.” “Haw!” said Professor Gunn, bowing stiffly. “Ha!” said Major Fitts, in his most icy manner. Then they glared at each other. “Your solicitude for Miss Ketchum was quite needless, sir,” declared Zenas. “I am quite capable of looking out for her.” “Suh, yo’ may relieve yo’self of any trouble, suh,” retorted the man from Natchez. “I couldn’t think of it, sir, not for a moment, sir,” shot back the professor. “It might be trouble for you, sir, but it is a pleasure for me.” “The old boy is there with the goods,” chuckled Brad. But Major Fitts was not to be rebuffed in such a manner. “Considering your age and your physical infirmities, suh,” he said, “I think Miss Ketchum will excuse yo’.” That was too much for Zenas. “My age, sir!” he rasped, lifting his cane. “Why, you antiquated old fossil, I’m ten years younger than you! My infirmities, sir! You rheumatic, malaria-sapped back number, I’m the picture of robust, bounding health beside you!” “Gentlemen!” gasped Sarah Ann, in astonishment and dismay. “Don’t yo’ dare threaten me with your cane, suh!” fumed the major. “If yo’ do, suh, I’ll take it away from yo’ and throw it overbo’d, and yo’ need it to suppo’t your tottering footsteps, suh.” “I dare you to touch it, sir!” challenged the irascible old pedagogue, shaking the stick at the major’s nose. Fitts made a grab, caught the cane, snatched it away, and sent it spinning overboard. A moment later Zenas grappled with the man from Natchez, doing it so suddenly that the major was taken off his guard and sent flat upon his back on the deck, his assailant coming down heavily upon him. Miss Ketchum screamed and fled. In a moment Dick had the professor by the collar on one side while Brad grasped him by the collar on the other side. They dragged him off and stood him on his feet, although he vigorously objected and tried to maintain his hold on the other man. “Here, here, professor!” exclaimed Merriwell; “you are disgracing yourself by your behavior.” “He threw my cane overboard, the insolent, old, pug-faced sinner!” raged Zenas. “I’ll take its value out of his hide!”