Then, all of a sudden, an inspiration in lying came to him.
"Prescott got ugly because the Dodges never paid that thousand-dollar reward," declared Bayliss.
Dick heard, and with his eye still on Dodge, shouted out: "That's not true, Bayliss.

You know you are not telling the truth!" Bayliss doubled his fists, and would have struck Prescott down from behind, but Wadleigh, who was a big and powerful fellow, caught Bayliss by his left arm, jerking him back.
"Now, just wait a bit, Bayliss," advised "Hen," moderately.

"From what I know of Prescott I'm not afraid but that he'll give you satisfaction presently---if you want it." "You bet he'll have to!" hissed Bayliss.
"If Prescott loses the argument he has on now," added Purcell, significantly, "I fancy he has friends who will take his place with you, Bayliss." Then all turned to watch the fight, which was now passing the stage of preliminary caution.
Several boys and men had run down from Main Street.

Now, more than a score of spectators were crowding about.
"Hurrah!" piped up one boy from the Central Grammar School." The mucker bantam against the 'sorehead' lightweight!" There was a laugh, but Bert Dodge didn't join in it, for, after receiving two glancing, blows on the chest, he now had his right eye closed by Dick's hard left.
The next instant the bewildered Dodge received a blow that sent him down to the sidewalk.
"I think I've paid you back, now," Prescott remarked quietly.
At this moment Mr.Prescott, hearing the noise from the back of his bookstore, came to the door.
"What is the trouble, Richard ?" inquired his parent.
Dick stepped over to his father, repeating, in a low voice, the insult that Dodge had hurled at him.
"You couldn't have done anything else, then!" declared the elder Prescott, fervently; and this was a good deal for Dick's father, quiet, scholarly and peace-loving, to say.
Bert and Bayliss walked sullenly away amid the jeers of the onlookers.
Once out of their sight, Bert, fairly grinding his teeth, said: "Bayliss, I'll have my revenge yet on that mucker Prescott---" and then, as if struck by a sudden thought, he added savagely: "The Tottenville game's tomorrow---you know ?" "Yes ?" said Bayliss inquiringly.
"Well, wait till tomorrow afternoon, and I'll take the conceit out of the miserable cur---just you wait.".