CHAPTER XIX.
A FIGHT TO THE FINISH.
Chick, Ruddy and Tony, the three smaller boys, who had hastened to the side of Larry at his call, now that they really understood the situation, quickly stepped away as Larry advanced toward Rob.
“Golly!” said the irrepressible Chick, “there’s going to be some fun. I’ll put my money on Little Hickory.”
“He ain’t so big as Larry,” replied Ruddy, doubtfully.
“This ain’t no quarrel of mine, Larry,” said Rob, “and if you get the worst of it you mustn’t blame me.”
“Who’s a-blaming ye, Rob Bayne, and who’s getting the wust of it?” retorted the other. “It’s high time we knowed who’s boss here.”
“If we settle it in this way, Larry, will you agree to stand by the consequences?”
“You bet I will. I reckon I’m taller and bigger and stouter, and jess as spry. Oh, I’m itching all over to get at ye. Ye show ye are afraid of me! I reckon there ain’t no cops round here to meddle, and I’ll hev the fun of my life with ye. But if I whup ye, I’m to be guv’ner. Is thet yer say, Little Hickory?”
“Yes, Larry; but if ye get——”
The other did not wait for him to finish, but sprang forward with the evident intention of overpowering Rob before he could defend himself. But Rob was not to be caught off his guard so easily. Warding off the blow aimed at his body, Little Hickory fairly lifted his adversary from his feet by a dexterous movement under the other’s guard, to send him flat upon the ground.
Chick cheered, but the rest looked on as if spellbound.
Larry was soon on his feet again, to find Rob calmly confronting him, with his arms folded low down upon his body in the favorite position of the professional pugilist.
“Ye took me unawares!” cried Larry. “I’ll down ye to pay fer thet, and once I get my knee on ye I’ll choke the blood out’n ye!”
It would have been better for Larry to have said less, and tried more to curb his anger. But he advanced more warily this time, making several feints to the right and left, when, thinking he saw Little Hickory’s front exposed, he concentrated all his strength to deal him a blow that should send him upon his back.
No doubt he would have done it had he hit Rob. But he had mistaken the maneuvers of Little Hickory. The latter had purposely offered this apparent opportunity, and then, as Larry threw himself into the attack, he sent his arm upward and planted his own fist under the other’s chin with a force that made his teeth chatter and sent him reeling backward.
Larry managed to save himself, and then he called for assistance by crying to his companions:
“Come on, Tom and Jerry! gi’n him fits!”
These boys evidently felt it their duty to help defend their companion, for they rushed to his assistance, both of them seizing upon Rob from the rear.
Assailed on every hand it began to look as if Little Hickory would have more than he could attend to. But he was not one to give up. Giving the twain behind a tremendous kick, which sent Jerry flying heels over head into the dirt, he closed in with Larry.
By that time the outcries had reached those at the house, and Joe, Mrs. Bayne and Aunt Vinnie all came running to the scene, excited over the rather startling situation.
Unheeding them or their cries, Little Hickory continued to struggle with Larry, while the other two boys, Jerry having recovered himself, lent their assistance as best they could.
Aunt Vinnie called for her boys to come away, and Rob’s mother appealed to him to desist. Joe Willet was alone silent. She had seen that Larry was discontented and jealous of Rob’s influence, and better than the others, knew that it could not be overcome in any other way than to show him he was not master by brute strength. She would fain have assisted Rob, but saw no way of doing it. It would be better, too, for Rob to win his victory alone, if he could win it at all.
So the four boys—three against one—struggled to and fro, back and forth. Larry had seized on Rob’s collar with a grip he could not break, while Tom and Jerry were pulling at his legs, and trying by all means in their power to trip him.
Finally Little Hickory managed to get his hand on the collar of Tom, when the latter suddenly found himself lifted up and ranged by the side of Larry. Then, with his right hand on the shoulder of Larry, he suddenly brought the heads of the two boys together with a force which filled the air about them with stars, and caused them to utter involuntary cries of pain.
At that moment Jerry succeeded in pulling one foot from under Rob, and the last was forced down upon one knee, when it seemed as if Larry and Tom, who had rallied, would crush him to the ground.
“It’s a shame!” cried Joe, running forward to lend her assistance to Little Hickory. “Three to one——”
By this time the blood of Little Hickory was up, as the expression goes, and half a dozen boys like Tom and Jerry could not have availed against him. A smart kick sent Jerry flying a rod away, where he lay cramped with pain, and uttering piteous cries, as Rob bore both Tom and Larry backward to the earth, a hand about the throat of either.
“Oh—oh—oh!” groaned the pair in unison. “You’re—choking—me!”
Now that he had obtained an advantage Little Hickory resolved not to let either up until he had obtained an acknowledgment of submission from both.
Thus he pressed still harder upon them, as he said in his low, determined tone:
“Ye have lost, Larry! I’m too much for all of ye. What are ye going to do about it?”
But Larry remained silent, his stubborn nature not allowing him to yield at once. Again Rob made his demand, in his suppressed excitement falling into the slang of the streets, which he had dropped to a considerable extent since coming to Break o’ Day. His fingers closed harder upon the other’s throat.
Larry made a painful cry, and moved as if he would rise.
“Do ye cave to me, Larry? Nod yer head if ye mean it.”
The eyes flashed, but his head did not move.
“Ye are true grit, Larry, but ye shall never get on to yer feet till ye hev promised to do as I want ye to after this, or else go away from Break o’ Day. Are ye ready to answer?”
Another squeeze, and the head of Larry nodded slightly.
“Hev ye got yer answer ready, Tom?”
The latter nodded quickly.
Then, as Little Hickory loosened simultaneously his holds on the throats of his assailants, he said:
“Mind ye, boys, no treachery. I hev asked ye a square question: Are you going away from Break o’ Day or stay?”
“I’m going to stay,” muttered Larry.
“And do as I say?”
“I knuckle, Little Hickory. I thought I could whup ye, but ye are too menny for us all.”
“And ye, Tom and Jerry?”
“I’m with ye, Rob,” replied both.
“Good,” said Little Hickory, though there was no sign of triumph in his manner as he stepped back. “I’m glad you are going to stay.”
“So am I,” said Joe, taking Larry’s hand. “You made a good fight, Larry, and I like you better for it, now that you are all right. It is only right Little Hickory should be at our head. We’ll agree to mind him in all he says.”
Larry made no reply, though the others knew well enough the victory had been fully won by Little Hickory. Chick would have given three cheers and a tiger or two, but the conqueror stopped him.