The Strange Man cried out for Johnny to quit, but Johnny, angry at the Strange Man’s treatment of his sister, managed to get his knees on the Strange Man’s arms, sat upon his chest and pounded him right and left. [Illustration: “You just wait! I’ll catch you and pay you back!” (page 31)] “Say enough!” Johnny yelled. “Say enough! Say enough!” and Johnny caught hold of the Strange Man’s long hair and bumped his head upon the ground. Janey held her breath. It was the first time she had ever seen Johnny in a fight, for he was a quiet little fellow and always avoided a fight if it were possible. But now Johnny was very angry, and Janey felt sorry for the Strange Man. “Let him up, Johnny! He’s had enough! He says for you to quit! Let him up!” Janey cried. “Now, you keep back, Sis!” Johnny shouted, his eyes full of tears. “I’ll teach him to strike you! There!—There! Will you ever—There!—do it again?” “No, I won’t! Honest!” the Strange Man cried, closing his eyes tight each time Johnny bumped his head on the ground. “All right!” Johnny said as he got off of the Strange Man and stood back to see what he would do upon getting up from the ground. The Strange Man picked up his hat and stick without looking at Johnny, turned and walked across the clearing. When he had reached the other side he looked over his shoulder, and shaking his stick at the children he cried, “You just wait! I’ll catch you and pay you back! You just wait!” Johnny, in spite of his sister’s attempt to hold him back, ran across the clearing after the Strange Man, who turned again and sped through the ferns like a deer. When Johnny reached the edge of the clearing he stamped his feet upon the ground loudly. The Strange Man, thinking Johnny was close behind him, redoubled his efforts and catching his foot in a vine went sprawling among the ferns. Johnny doubled up with laughter and Janey could not help joining in. “My! You surely can fight, Johnny!” she said admiringly. Janey put her arm around her brother’s neck and kissed him. “Ah shucks!” said Johnny, embarrassed. “I couldn’t stand to see him strike you, Janey, but I don’t like to fight.” “Weren’t you mad though! You cried!” Janey went on. “That’s it!” Johnny exclaimed. “I get too angry and have to cry like a boo baby! That’s why I always get licked, because my eyes fill up with tears and I can’t see!” “Oh Johnny, I’ll bet you don’t always get licked, either! You can lick anyone I’ll bet, if you want to!” his sister said proudly. “Well of course I really don’t get licked every time!” Johnny admitted. Then, with a laugh, he added, “Because sometimes I can run faster than the other fellow and he doesn’t catch me!” “Of course it’s wrong to fight!” Janey said as they walked away in a different direction from the one taken by the Strange Man. “It always seems so useless, doesn’t it?” “Unless it’s something like this fight!” Johnny answered.