HOW THE FIGHT ENDED
It must be admitted that Jack was a little in doubt as to the outcome of
the fight before him. Dan Baxter was large, and was something of a boxer
and an athlete. In fact, he could fight better than he could learn his
lessons.
"I've got to go at him from the start, otherwise he may wear me out," the
young major told himself.
With clenched fists the two cadets circled around, each watching for a
chance to deliver a blow. Those watching the contest formed a large
circle, and numerous were the words of advice given.
"Land him a good one, Jack!"
"Paste him hard, Dan!"
Suddenly Baxter's fist shot out and landed on Jack's breast, sending the
young major back a step or two. Then Jack sent in a blow on the bully's
arm. Next came several hits which were of small consequence.
"Give it to him good, Jack," came from Andy. "Don't fool."
"How do you like that?" cried the bully, and hit Jack a stinging blow in
the cheek.
It was just what was needed to wake the young major up. All of his real
fighting blood leaped to the surface, and an instant later he sent out
his fist on the bully's nose. Then, before Baxter could recover, he hit
out once more, and struck Baxter on the chin, lifting him from his feet
and sending him on his back in the snow.
"Hurrah! Jack has knocked Baxter down!"
"Time!" called out Paxton, and rushed to his crony's assistance. He
caught the bully by the arm and dragged him to his feet.
"Are you much hurt?" he demanded.
"What did--did he hi-hit me with?" stammered the fallen one.
"With his fist," answered Dale. "I reckon it was hard enough, wasn't it?"
"He struck me with something else--a stone," cried the bully.
"No, I didn't," ejaculated Jack. He held up his open hands. "I haven't a
thing but my fingers and thumbs."
Again the pair faced each other. Baxter was in a rage, and after a few
light passes he rushed in and clinched. Around and around the ring went
the two cadets, each trying to get the better of the other.
"Break away!" was the cry. "Break away!" But neither Jack nor Baxter paid
attention. Baxter had Jack bent far over and was hitting him on the neck.
"That's not fair!" cried Andy, but scarcely had he spoken when Jack
ducked still lower, and like a flash Baxter was raised in the air and
thrown over the young major's back. He came down with a thud, and before
he could get up Jack was on top of him.
"Do you give in, Baxter?" he demanded.
"I--er--I----"
"Get off of him!" cried Paxton. "That's no fair way to fight. Let him
up."
"I'll let him up," came from Jack, and he leaped up and away. Baxter sat
up, stared around, and arose slowly to his feet.
"Come on!" cried the young major. "Unless you have had enough."
"Oh, I'm all right," was the reply. "I'll fix you yet; see if I don't."
Once more the pair went at it, hammer and tongs. Blows flew thick and
fast, but to the majority of the boys it was easily to be seen that Jack
was getting the better of it. Baxter was almost winded, and stood up with
difficulty. He felt that another blow or two would make him fall.
Watching his chance, he tipped a wink to Paxton.
"Cheese it! Here comes one of the teachers!" called out Paxton. "Run for
it unless you want to be caught."
The cry was taken up on all sides, even though nobody saw the teacher. At
once Dan Baxter stepped back and reached for his collar and coat.
"I'll fix you another time, Jack Ruddy," he muttered, and hurried away
before the young major could reply.
Slipping on his own coat and adjusting his collar, Jack gazed around and
then, with his chums, walked toward the gymnasium.
"That was a fake, I believe," said he. "I don't see anybody."
"Paxton gave the alarm," came from Dale.
"Baxter winked at him--I saw him do it," said Stuffer. "I guess he wanted
to stop. He was pretty dizzy. Another blow or two would have finished
him."
"Never mind, I'll finish him some other time," answered Jack. "He won't
behave himself until he is well whipped."
Baxter did not stop until he reached his dormitory. He sank into a chair,
and, later on, bathed his swollen face and eyes.
"He's a pretty hard fighter," said Paxton.
"Pooh! I am not afraid of him, Nick," growled the bully. "The truth is
I--I shouldn't have tried to fight to-day," he went on, lamely. "I'm not
feeling well. My--er--my stomach is all out of order."
"I knew there must be something the matter," said Paxton,
sympathetically. "You didn't hit out like I expected."
"Wait till I'm myself; I'll lay him out cold," said the bully,
boastingly.
But for the present he was content to keep out of Jack's sight, and in
public he said little about the contest. Behind it all he was frightened.
"I've got to be careful how I go at him," he told himself. "He knows how
to handle his fists better than I thought."
After the fight matters remained quiet for some time to come. A brisk
wind cleared some of the snow from the lake, and the cadets spent a large
portion of their off time in skating. Some of the cadets built themselves
ice-boats, and had not a little fun in sailing up and down the lake
shore. One ice-boat was the property of Dale and Harry Blossom, and on an
afternoon Coulter, Paxton, and Mumps made off with the craft, without
asking permission to use it.
"That is what I call nerve!" Dale declared, when he heard the news. "Just
wait till they get back! I'll give them a piece of my mind!"
"And so will I!" added Harry. "Our friends can use the ice-boat if they
wish, but not such fellows as Paxton, Coulter, and Mumps."
The cadets who had gone off with the ice-boat did not know much about
running such a craft, although Mumps knew all about ordinary sailing
boats, having come from the Hudson River, as previously stated. The wind
carried the trio out of sight of the Hall, and they sat down to enjoy
themselves.
"This is all right!" said Coulter, enthusiastically. "Nick, we ought to
build a boat of our own."
"Too much labor," grumbled Paxton. "What's the use, when you can get
someone else's craft for nothing?" And he laughed.
"They'll be angry when they hear how we went off," came from Mumps.
"Perhaps, but I don't think they'll do anything."
Sailing with the wind was easy enough, and soon several miles were
covered.
"We had better turn around," said the sneak of the school. "Remember, it
won't be near so easy tacking back."
"Oh, don't turn back yet," said Paxton. "It's fine to spin along. Let her
go!" And on they went for another mile.
"Hi! hi!" shouted Coulter, suddenly. "Look ahead! What's that?"
"It's open water!" gasped Mumps. "Stop her! Lower the sail! We'll be
drowned!"
As speedily as possible they lowered the sail of the ice-boat. But the
momentum carried them closer and closer to the water, and at last they
had to jump out on the ice to try to save themselves. All rolled over and
over.
"Help! I'll drown!" shrieked Mumps, when he found himself in the water.
He floundered around, and so did his companions. Then Paxton stood up.
"Stand up--it's not deep," he called out, and they stood up and found the
water only up to their waists. The ice-boat lay near, floating around on
its side. Not far off was the bank of the lake.
"Birr! how cold!" came from Coulter.
"Don't sa--say a wo--word!" chattered Mumps. "I--I--can--can't get my
br--br--breath!"
"Haul the ice-boat in," came from Paxton, and in disgust they brought the
craft to shore. Here they huddled close together, shivering from head to
feet.
"I--I wi--wish we ha--had--hadn't ta--ta--ta--taken the con--confounded
bo--boat!" chattered Mumps. "Oh, this is dreadful! I'll be frozen stiff
in another minute!"
"How are we to get back?" questioned Coulter. "If we sail back we'll be
frozen to death before we re--reach th--the Hall."
They stared at each other in dismay. They were in a pickle truly, and did
not know how to help themselves.