Bob did not reply. He was standing over Steve, peering down at the latter with a steady gaze. Presently Rush noticed that Jarvis was acting peculiarly. There was a constraint in his manner that Steve had never seen there before. "What's the matter? Anything gone wrong, Bob?" "No; nothing has gone wrong. Something's going that way pretty soon, though." "What do you mean?" "I promised you a licking, didn't I?" "I believe you did, but that is all past now. You saved me from the drift. I shan't forget that, old fellow. I hope I get a chance to do you a good turn one of these days." "You're going to get it now." "I am going to get what?" "The licking." Steve rose slowly to his feet after carefully placing his dinner pail to one side. "Do you mean you want to fight me after having saved my life, Bob Jarvis?" "That's what!" Rush gazed steadily at his companion of the moment. The taller boy had assumed a pugnacious attitude. "I don't want to fight you, Bob." "Then you'll stand for a coward; you'll be a 'missie' for certain." Steve began slowly to strip off his oilskins. His blouse and flannel shirt came next. These removed, he stuck his candlestick in a crevice in the rocks high enough up to shed a fairly good light over the drift. "How'll you have it?" he asked coolly. "No hitting below the belt; hammer in the clinches when we can. All fair and above board," answered Jarvis, making himself ready for the fray. "Very well," replied Steve. "I am ready whenever you are." CHAPTER IX YOUNG GLADIATORS MEET "Going to take off your boots?" questioned Steve. "Sure." "Then I'll take mine off, too." He did so, tightened his belt and stepped out into the drift well within the flickering circle of light shed by the two candles. "How are we going to decide it, Bob?" "The fellow who gets knocked out first loses. No second chance. Are you ready?" "I've been ready for the last five minutes." "Look out--I'm coming!" Jarvis made a rush, swinging a quick blow at the head of his opponent. Steve ducked and went under it, at the same time giving Bob a jolt in the ribs that made the larger boy grunt. "Hello! You ain't such an easy mark as you'd have me believe, eh? Been playing off, have you? Said you couldn't fight." "I never said so. I said I wasn't a fighter. I hope I have higher ambitions in life than that. But is this a fight or an argument?" "It's a fight," shouted Jarvis, dancing in, his arms working like a piston rod. Both boys led for the head at the same instant. Each countered with his left, receiving the other's blow on his arm. After a rapid exchange of blows, none of which landed, they backed away. But Steve, without waiting for his opponent to take the lead, became the aggressor now. He sprang in as lightly as a cat, and ere the taller boy could get his guard up, had planted a blow on Jarvis' nose that sent the other's head back and the blood spurting from his nose. Whack!