They were staggered. They could not understand this coolness and, moreover, they had all heard about Ralph having tackled the bull, and the story had grown somewhat. They stood considerably in awe of this boy from the Western plains, and they began to wish that they were anywhere else than in his study. Horace Elgert got up, his face white with passion but he made no more attempts to take the key from Ralph. "You are right," he said, in suppressed tones; "this is not the place to fight. Open the door, and we will soon settle things." "Presently," was all the answer he got. "Now, then, let us see what you have been up to." He glanced round at the books tumbled on the floor, at a desk upset, at an ink-bottle on its side, and then turned to his chum. But Charlton was standing, looking very white, and staring at a picture on the wall--the picture of a lady, and beneath it some one had written-- "This is Charlton's mammy. But where is his daddy? Puzzle--Find daddy, and tell the police." Ralph felt his nerves tingle. He felt sure that Elgert had done that, and he remembered the words of Lord Elgert respecting his own father. "Who did that?" he said, and no one answered. He went up to Elgert. "Did you do it?" "Well, if I did, what is it to do with you? Mind your own business!" "Take that scrawl down. Quick, or I shall lose my temper, and then I fancy some one will get hurt! Down with it! That is right"--as the other, considerably startled, pulled the writing down. "Give it to me." It was remarkable how the daring of the one lad held the half dozen in check. Elgert handed him the paper, and Ralph tore it up and threw the fragments into his face. "Now then, you have upset this room. Just put it straight again, and look sharp about it!" he said. "And please to understand that Charlton and I are chums, and mean to stick together. Oh, and I want a word with you"--and he walked up to Dobson, who turned a trifle more pasty-looking than before. "Do you know what these are?" Ralph produced two wads of chewed blotting-paper from his pocket as he spoke, and Dobson blustered-- "You keep to your chum, since you are so thick with him. I don't want anything to do with you. I say, you chaps, are you going to let him crow over you like this? Rush him!" "Good advice; only, why don't you do the rushing first?" said Ralph. "I asked you if you recognized these. If you don't, I will tell you what they are--they are pieces of blotting-paper, which you chewed and then threw at me. They came out of your mouth, and they are going back there again--when I have mopped up this ink which you have spilt." Ralph suited the action to the word, and presented the two unpalatable-looking objects to Dobson, who was at once a coward and a bully. "Now, then, open your mouth!" "I won't! Who do you think that you are? I---- Oh!" For Ralph did not argue. He grabbed hold of Dobson, and with a quick jerk sent him backwards across the little study table.