"I reckon there are," remarked Chub, his grin broadening dangerously. "All you fellows need is a few feathers to be a whole tribe." A sharp breath rushed through Clipperton's lips, his muscles tightened, his fists clenched, and the war-look of his savage ancestors swept across his face. Chub's fling had caught him in the old wound. "Cut it out, Chub," muttered Matt; "Clip's not responsible for this." Perry also said something in a low tone to Clipperton. The latter's face was still black and relentless, but he held himself in check. Matt advanced a little toward Perry and turned slightly so as to face the boys with him. "If it's a fight you fellows want," said he, "I guess you'll find the latch-string out. I want to give you the other side of this, though, before you proceed to mix things." "That's right," snapped Perry, "crawfish! It's about what I'd expect of you." There was a glint in Matt's eyes as he whirled on Perry. "You can butt in later," said he, "and I'll come more than half-way to give you all the chance you want. Just now I'm going to have my say, Dace Perry, and I don't think"--Matt's voice was like velvet, but it cut like steel--"_I don't think_ you're going to interfere." "We've got Perry's side of it," said "Ratty" Spangler, a youth well nicknamed, "and that's enough for _us_. Eh, boys?" The chorus of affirmatives was short one voice--that of Splinters. "If I'm in on this," spoke up Splinters, "we play the game right or we don't play it at all." He fronted Matt. "Perry says, King," he went on, "that you've had a grouch against him for a long while, and that you tried to work it off by taking him from behind and slamming him into the road." "I did have a grouch and I did slam him into the road," said Matt. "If Chub had been around I'd have left it to him--but Chub wasn't handy." Then, briefly, Matt told of the affair at the gate. Chub growled angrily and sprang forward, only to be caught by his chum and pushed back. "Wait!" cautioned Matt. "I guess you'll get all the rough-house you want, Chub, before we're done." A chorus of jeers came from Perry's followers--Splinters excepted. "That'll do me," said Splinters, turning on his heel and starting off. "Where you going, Tuohy?" shouted Perry. "Home," was the curt response. "You're taking this tenderfoot's word against mine?" "I'm sorry----" "Come back here, then!" "Sorry King didn't do more than slam you into the road. Oh, you're the limit." "Either you come back here or you quit the team," yelled Perry, his voice quivering with rage. "Much obliged," flung back Splinters, keeping on into the timber; "it's a pleasure to quit." The rest hooted at him as he vanished. This defection from the ranks brought the tension of the whole affair to the snapping-point. What happened immediately after the departure of Splinters came decisively, and with a rush.