From the Whilomville point of view he was entitled to a favorable answer. They made it. "Yes," they said, "you did." "I run in," cried Willie, "an' I grabbed 'im, an' afore he knew what it was I throwed 'im. An' then it was easy." He puffed out his chest and smiled like an English recruiting-sergeant. "An' now," said he, suddenly facing Jimmie Trescott, "whose side were you on?" The question was direct and startling. Jimmie gave back two paces. "He licked you once," he explained, haltingly. "He never saw the day when he could lick one side of me. I could lick him with my left hand tied behind me. Why, I could lick him when I was asleep." Willie Dalzel was magnificent. A gate clicked, and Johnnie Hedge was seen to be strolling towards them. "You said," he remarked, coldly, "you licked me, didn't you?" Willie Dalzel stood his ground. "Yes," he said, stoutly. "Well, you're a liar," said the Hedge boy. "You're another," retorted Willie. "No, I ain't, either, but _you're_ a liar." "You're another," retorted Willie. "Don't you dare tell _me_ I'm a liar, or I'll smack your mouth for you," said the Hedge boy. "Well, I did, didn't I?" barked Willie. "An' whatche goin' to do about it?" "I'm goin' to lam you," said the Hedge boy. He approached to attack warily, and the other boys held their breaths. Willie Dalzel winced back a pace. "Hol' on a minute," he cried, raising his palm. "I'm not--" [Illustration: "ONE APPROACHING FROM BEHIND LAID HOLD OF HIS EAR"] But the comic windmill was again in motion, and between gasps from his exertions Johnnie Hedge remarked, "I'll show--you--whether--you kin--lick me--or not." The first blows did not reach home on Willie, for he backed away with expedition, keeping up his futile cry, "Hol' on a minute." Soon enough a swinging fist landed on his cheek. It did not knock him down, but it hurt him a little and frightened him a great deal. He suddenly opened his mouth to an amazing and startling extent, tilted back his head, and howled, while his eyes, glittering with tears, were fixed upon this scowling butcher of a Johnnie Hedge. The latter was making slow and vicious circles, evidently intending to renew the massacre. But the spectators really had been desolated and shocked by the terrible thing which had happened to Willie Dalzel. They now cried out: "No, no; don't hit 'im any more! Don't hit 'im any more!" Jimmie Trescott, in a panic of bravery, yelled, "We'll all jump on you if you do." The Hedge boy paused, at bay. He breathed angrily, and flashed his glance from lad to lad. They still protested: "No, no; don't hit 'im any more. Don't hit 'im no more." "I'll hammer him until he can't stand up," said Johnnie, observing that they all feared him. "I'll fix him so he won't know hisself, an' if any of you kids bother with _me_--" Suddenly he ceased, he trembled, he collapsed. The hand of one approaching from behind had laid hold upon his ear, and it was the hand of one whom he knew.