Reade who felt that the situation didn't call for any fighting, retreated, still smiling.
Whether by accident or design, Black, as he made a half turn to start after the cub engineer anew, brushed a corner of the unstable drawing table hard enough to tip it over.

A bottle of drawing ink fell, too, splashing ugly black blotches over Tom's carefully drawn outlines of a map.
"Now, you've done it!" exclaimed Tom.
"I haven't quite finished," snapped the stranger, rushing after Reade.
"I'm going to box your ears soundly, boy!" "Are you, indeed ?" demanded Tom, halting.

He was still smiling, but there was a stern look in his eyes.

Tom no longer retreated, but stood awaiting Black's assault.
Blanks fist shot out straight, but Reade didn't stop the blow.
Instead, he ducked low.

When he came up his arms enveloped Black's legs in one of the swift football tackles that Tom had learned with the Gridley High School football team.
"You annoy me," drawled Tom, and hurled the fellow ten feet away.
Black landed on his back with an angry roar, followed by cursing.
"Profanity is always objectionable to a gentleman," declared Tom dryly, running over ere the newcomer could regain his feet.