“Yes--if you say you don’t know.” Orkney’s fists clenched; but Sam, warily watching, saw that the enemy kept himself in hand. Again there was a pause. Sam broke it: “There’s no use in your trying to put up a bluff. It won’t go. You understand perfectly what I mean.” [Illustration: “YOU’RE LOOKING FOR TROUBLE”] “I understand that you’re looking for trouble,” said Orkney slowly. “That’s nothing new with you and your crowd--you think you own the earth, and you’d like to fence in this part of it for your own stamping grounds. You had things your own way till I came along, and you’ve always been down on me because I wouldn’t tail on after your procession. You’d rather interfere with me than eat, any of you. Why, just the other day Step Jones----” “Leave Step out of this!” Sam interposed. He had not been able to reconcile himself wholly to Step’s performance; and Orkney having found a weak spot in his armor, his tone was more belligerent than ever. “You’re dealing with me and not with Jones this time. And Step doesn’t beat dogs, and cut clothes-lines, and heave rocks through windows.” “Well, who does?” “You do!” roared Sam. Orkney pulled up. He faced his accuser, and his eyes did not fall before Sam’s. “Parker, you’re talking like a wild man,” he said. “Wild, am I? Not much! I’ve got proof!” Orkney shrugged his shoulders. “It’s plain enough you’re looking for a fight, and don’t care how you get it. Now, I tell you, in the first place, that all this stuff you’re hinting and insinuating is gibberish to me; and in the second place that if you want fight I’ll give you all you’re looking for and more, too.” “Now?” demanded Sam. “No,” said Orkney, and grinned a queer, savage grin. “What’s more, you know why I won’t fight now. It’s my day to speak for the Lester prize, and a pretty chance I’d have for it, wouldn’t I, standing up before the school with a black eye or a cut lip? You talk about bluffs! Where’s there a bigger bluff than asking a fellow to fight when you know he can’t take you on? Or maybe this is your game: You’re scheming to batter me up so that one of your gang can carry off the Lester, eh?” “I hadn’t thought of the prize-speaking!” “Well, I’ve been thinking of it for some time. And I don’t propose to let you ruin my chances.” Sam fell back a pace. There was an element of reason in the other’s contention, which he could not ignore. “Well, if I let you off now----” he began. Orkney’s grin was sardonic. “‘Let me off’ is good, but we’ll also let that pass. I’m busy this morning, as I’ve explained, but after that--well, you can suit your own convenience in picking a time for taking a good licking.” “This afternoon, then----” stormed Sam. “Oh, suit yourself!” said Orkney curtly, and marched off. CHAPTER XIII NOT ON THE PROGRAM