Part 16 (1/2)

This was too much for David. He dashed in and planted a stinging right-hander on the jaw of the enraged bully, sending him to the ground beside the hunchback, who was writhing there with blood on his lips.

For a second or two the fellow's companions, four in number, stood undecided. Then, with one accord, they rushed at David Jenison.

The Virginian was not skilled in the art of self-defense, but he was brave and cool and strong. He met the rush staunchly. To his own surprise his wild swings landed with amazing precision and the most gratifying effect. Two of his a.s.sailants reeled away under the savage impact of his blows. A stone, hurled by one of the young ruffians, struck him on the shoulder; another reached his face with a cutting blow of the fist. He felt the hot blood trickling down his cheek. But he stood squarely in front of the hunchback, his fists swinging like mad, half of his blows failing to land on the person of any one of his crowding, cursing adversaries.

Suddenly a new element entered into the one-sided conflict. A whirlwind figure dashed out of an alley hard by and came cras.h.i.+ng into the thick of the fray.

”d.i.c.k! d.i.c.k!” shrieked the cowering cripple, the fiercest glee in his shrill voice.

”Always on hand,” sang out the newcomer, slas.h.i.+ng out right and left.

”Old Nick-o'-time, my lads. So you'd jump on a cripple, would you?

Here's a Christmas gift for you, you hayseed!”

Singing glibly after this fas.h.i.+on, the tall recruit laid about him with devastating effect. Three of the surprised town boys were sprawling on the ground; another was trying to scale the fence ahead of an expected boot-toe; the fifth was being soundly polished off by the exhilarated David. In less time than it takes to tell it, five terrified hoodlums were ”streaking it” in as many directions, their chins high with a mighty resolve, their legs working like pinwheels, their eyes popping and their mouths spread in speechless endeavor. Five seconds later you couldn't have found one of them with a telescope.

The hunchback had leaped forward and was clasping a leg of the tall, angry rescuer, whining petulantly: ”Why didn't you come sooner, d.i.c.k!

You never look out for me. One of them struck me. See!”

”Struck you, did he? I'd--I'd have killed him if I'd knowed that, Ernie. But, say, who's your friend? Looked as if he was doing business all right when I came up. h.e.l.lo! They got to you, did they? Bleeding like a pig, you are. Say, young feller, never--_never_ put your nose where it can be hit. I hates the sight of blood, and always did.”

David was wiping the blood from his cheek. The tall young man came over and inspected the break in the cuticle.

”Just peeled it off a little,” he announced. ”No harm done. Oh, I say, you're the new clown, ain't you? I saw you last night. Put it there, kid. You're a brick. I'll not forget what you did for Ernie.”

The two shook hands. The satirical grin had left the stranger's face.

He was regarding David with keen gray eyes, narrowed by the odd intentness of his gaze. David had the feeling that his innermost soul was being searched by the shrewdest eyes he had ever looked into.

”I came up just in time,” explained the Virginian, still somewhat out of breath. ”They were teasing him, and then one of the brutes struck him. I like fair play. I couldn't help taking a hand. They might have hurt him severely.”

”He's my brother,” said the other, putting his hand on Ernie's misshapen shoulder. ”No, I won't forget this,” he went on. ”You didn't have to interfere, but you did. Plucky thing to do. They say you come from Virginia. Well, you've proved it. Thank you for doing this. My name's d.i.c.k Cronk. I'm from New York. Ernest, I haven't heard you say anything that sounds like 'much obliged.' Speak up!”

The hunchback looked sullenly at the ground, his black eyebrows almost meeting in a straight line above his nose.

”He couldn't have licked 'em if you hadn't come, d.i.c.k,” he protested.

”See here, Ernie,” said d.i.c.k, ”that's no way to act. Mr.--er--this young gentleman defended you until I--”

”I saw him looking at my--my hump yesterday. He laughed at me,” cried the boy fiercely.

David's hand fell from his b.l.o.o.d.y cheek. ”Laughed at you?” he cried. ”I _never_ did such a thing. You are mistaken.”

”What were you laughing at, then?” demanded the unfortunate boy, made over-sensitive by his dread of ridicule.

”I don't remember that I laughed,” said David, perplexed and distressed.

”Well, you did,” defiantly.

David caught the look of profound embarra.s.sment in d.i.c.k Cronk's face.

He felt a sharp pity for him, though he could not have explained why.