Paul Bristol was entirely cool, now that his sister was no longer in peril, and he began to realize that a quarrel with the son of the proprietor of the domain was a very serious matter. With the oar he warded off the blows of his insane adversary, and this was all he wished to do. He could easily have "laid him out" again, but the fear of consequences kept him within bounds. Walk exhausted himself to no purpose. He could not hit his opponent, and his strength and his wind were soon used up. He drew back a little, and fixed a savage gaze upon his stalwart enemy. He panted like a wild beast at bay, and his blood boiled all the more because he could accomplish nothing. "I'll settle you yet, Paul Bristol!" exclaimed Walk as he stepped down to the edge of the water and began to wash the blood from his face. "I'm settled now," replied Paul calmly. "I have had enough of it, and I should like to stop where we are." "You won't stop where we are, not till I have beaten you to a jelly. I shall break every bone in your dirty carcass before I get through with you," gasped Walk, struggling for an even supply of breath. "When I say I have got enough of it, that ought to end the affair," added Paul with a cheerful smile on his face. "I don't care what you say; you haven't got enough. You have given me two sore eyes and a bloody nose, and you haven't got anything to balance it," growled Walk. "I mean to break your head, and then I will call it square." "But I don't want my head broken, if it is all the same to you," replied Paul, leaning on the oar. "My head is of some use to me, and it would not be pleasant to have it broken." "You began it, and you shall have enough of it before we are done," added Walk, beginning to breathe a little more freely. "I began it?" queried Paul with the same cheerful smile. "I don't think so, and I should like to argue the question with you." "Didn't you hit me first, you nunkhead?" demanded Walk. "Didn't you lay hold of my sister first, and frighten her half out of her wits?" "I didn't hurt her, and I was only fooling with her." "Fooling with her! That's just what I was doing with you. I was only fooling with you, Mr. Walker." "I don't like that sort of fooling, you speckled cur!" "My sister didn't like your sort of fooling any better than you like mine. But, if you want to stop fooling, now is a good time to begin." "I will stop when I get even with you, and not before," snapped Walk. "You struck the first blow, and I mean to strike the last." By this time the young gentleman had fairly recovered his wind, but nothing like coolness had come over his temper. Dropping the stick, he rushed upon Paul again with his naked fists. He was savage, and the boatman's son soon found that he could not passively defend himself, and the result was that Walk soon went under again.