DAVE DARRIN FLASHES FIRE
"That was just like you---it was so cowardly and low down!" cried
Dick hotly, as he leaped to his feet.
He was now near the package containing the book. Doubtless he
could have snatched up the book and sprinted to safety. But that
was not his way of meeting so great an affront.
"Don't you get saucy!" warned Fred, edging in closer. Bert Dodge
veered around so that be could attack Dick from one side.
"It would be honoring you too much to talk to you in any vein,"
Dick retorted sarcastically. "You're a pair of the most worthless
rowdies in Gridley."
"Go for him, Bert!" called Ripley.
"Why don't you?" sneered Dick, making a leap forward, straight
at Ripley.
Dodge swung in from behind, hitting Dick over the head. But Prescott's
movement, in the same moment, made the blow only a glancing one.
Bump! Dick landed on Fred Ripley's nose with force and weight
enough to make the lawyer's son stagger.
"Pound his head off, Bert!" howled Ripley putting a hand to his
injured nose.
But Dick wheeled just in time to avoid a treacherous blow from
the rear. With all the fury of the oppressed, Prescott leaped
in, planting one foot heavily on some of Bert's toes and striking
a blow that landed over that indignant youth's belt-line. Bert
fell back, panting.
"If you two have enough now," remarked Dick more coolly, "I'll
pick up my package and go on about my business."
"You can wager you won't get away until we've settled with you!"
snarled Dodge. "Rip, never mind your nose. Help me close in
on this scamp and show him what we can do to a fellow that we
don't like."
In another moment Dick was the center of a cyclone, or so it felt
to him. Both boys were larger and stronger, even if not quite
as quick as he. They rained blows upon him.
"Don't try to holler," jeered Fred Ripley. "That won't do you
any good. We'll tell you when you've had enough. Take it from
us and never mind your own opinions."
Dick did not answer. Sore and winded, he fought with all the
spirit that was in him.
So busy were all three of the boys, that none of them noted the
approach of a light express wagon drawn by a single horse. The
driver hauled up, a few yards away, then advanced, driving whip
in hand.
Slash!
"O-o-o-h!" yelled Fred Ripley, as he felt the whip land on his
legs.
Slash! slash!
"Quit that, you fiend!" begged Bert Dodge, doubling up and screaming
with pain.
"I'll quit when I think you've had enough!" hissed Dave Darrin,
his face ablaze with anger, his eyes flashing fire.
Slash! slash! slash!
Dave plied the whip relentlessly until he had inflicted half a
dozen more blows on the legs of each High School boy.
"If you try to run away," warned Dave, "either of you, I'll run
after you and lay on ten times as much as I'm giving you."
"Quit, now, Dave," urged Dick, running to his chum and laying
a hand on Darrin's active right arm. "They've had lots---plenty.
Such things as they, can't stand a man's dose."
"I'm not a bit tired," retorted Dave ironically. "Besides, I
rather enjoy this exercise."
"We'll have you arrested, Dave Darrin!" moaned Ripley.
"You will, eh?" Dave demanded, breaking away from Prescott's
restraining hold and making for Fred.
"No, no, no!" cried Ripley, cowering.
"Yes, we will---you can wager we will!" yelled Dodge from a safer
distance.
"Arrested---for what?" demanded Darrin.
"For assaulting us," returned Bert Dodge. "Oh, you'll catch it!"
"Have I been guilty of any more of an assault than I found you
fellows engaged in", Dave asked coolly. "Don't you think you'd
look rather funny in court when it was known why I laid the whip
over you?"
"We'll get the better of you, just the same," yelled Ripley, who
had now retreated to the side of his friend and felt bolder.
"My father's a lawyer---the smartest in the town."
"And he's also a gentleman," broke in Dick. "I wish his son took
after him. As for arrest---and trouble in court---bosh! Try
it on!"
Prescott now walked coolly to where his little package lay, and
found it uninjured.
"How did you happen to come along on the wagon?" Dick asked, as
Fred and Bert limped away from their Waterloo.
"One of the express company's drivers was late coming back from
dinner, and there was a package that had to be delivered at once,"
Darrin answered. "The manager offered me ten cents to make the
delivery. I am glad that I took the job. Where are you going?"
"In there," Prescott answered, pointing to the house. "I've got
to deliver this book collect to a Mrs. Carhart."
"Get up on the seat and I'll drive you in there," proposed Dave.
"Though I don't believe there's any one living in the house.
All the front doors and windows are boarded up."
After five minutes of doorbell ringing Dick concluded that he
would find no Mrs. Carhart there.
"I guess I understand," nodded Prescott. "Either Dodge or Ripley
must have sent that 'phone message. That was their way to get
me alone where they could both handle me without much danger of
interference."
"It turned out finely---for them," chuckled Dave, as both boys
climbed back to the seat of the wagon. "But say, do you think
they could really make any trouble for me for using the whip over
them?"
"I don't know. I don't believe they'll try, anyway," Dick answered
thoughtfully. "It wouldn't be very nice for Fred to have his
father find out how his son spends his time and pocket money."
Dave drove back to Main Street, letting Dick off at his corner.
Down the side street a few doors and into the bookshop he hurried.
"Back again?" was Mr. Prescott's greeting. "What was the matter---the
volume not satisfactory!"
"No such party at the address," his son answered. "But I think
I can explain why the order was 'phoned in."
Dick then proceeded to narrate what had happened. His father
listened with growing anger.
"What a low, worthless trick that was to play," he cried. "Dick,
if you'll stay here and attend the store I'll step around to Mr.
Ripley's office and speak to him about it. Then I'll go over
to the bank and see Bert's father."
"Don't, dad; please don't," begged the boy.
"It seems to me that such action is highly necessary," maintained
Mr. Prescott.
"I hope you won't do it, dad. The best way to treat boys' rows
is to let them settle among themselves. If you interfere in this
matter, dad, I shall get a name among other boys for running to
my father for protection. That will turn the laugh on me all
over town. I'd much rather fight my own battles and take an
occasional pounding."
"Well, perhaps you're right about it," admitted his father
thoughtfully. "At all events, I'm glad to see that your disposition
is to take care of your own troubles. I won't interfere, though I am
certain that Mr. Ripley would like to know something about this affair."
"I already do know something about it," gravely announced a voice
behind them. There stood Lawyer Ripley, who had dropped in to
buy a magazine.
"I shall be glad if you will tell me more about this," the lawyer
went on solemnly.
Gladly would Dick have gotten out of it. He was inclined to say
very little, though what he did say was added to by his father.
"Is this the book, in this package?" inquired Mr. Ripley, as be
picked up the parcel.
"Yes," nodded Mr. Prescott.
"And the price?"
"Four dollars."
"Mr. Prescott, kindly charge this book to my account, unless I
return it by Monday morning," the lawyer went on. "I shall try
to see young Darrin this afternoon. Then I shall question my
son when I return home. I don't consider it fair to condemn him
unheard, but if I find that he had such a part in this afternoon's
affair as has been described, then I shall tell him that he is
bound to take goods that he has any part in ordering. In that
connection, when I hand him his next allowance of pocket money,
I shall keep out four dollars and hand him the book in place thereof.
That ought to make him rather careful about ordering goods in
which he is not really interested."
"But, as I now recall the voice over the telephone," urged Mr.
Prescott, "I am inclined to think that it was young Dodge's voice,
disguised, that I heard."
"If my son had any share in the transaction, it will make no
difference," replied Lawyer Ripley very gravely. "This book will
then become a part of his small library, and at his own personal
expense. I thank you both. Good afternoon."
"Well, of all the queer turn-overs, that's the best!" grinned
Dick appreciatively, after the lawyer had gone. "Wouldn't I like
to see Rip when he gets that book of ballads handed him as the
larger part of his pocket allowance!"
"It's certainly a clever way for his father to handle the affair,"
smiled Mr. Prescott. "However, in making the charge for the book
I shall deduct the profit. Like yourself, son, I don't want to
profit by tale-bearing. And now, why not run out and see if you
can find your young friends? I don't believe I shall need you
further this afternoon."
Inwardly Dave Darrin was a good bit disturbed when, a few minutes
later, Lawyer Ripley walked into the express office and inquired
for him. Fred's father asked a good many questions, which Dave
answered truthfully though reluctantly.
"Assuming that the affair was as you describe, Darrin," stated
the legal man at last, "I wish to thank you for teaching the young
man what must have been a needed lesson."
When Dave learned from Dick, a little later, the story of Fred's
unintentional purchase of a four-dollar book, there was a big laugh.