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.