"No understand," said Hoki, pausing and backing away a little, as if in doubt as to Carter's purpose.
"No, I guess you don't understand," continued the bully. "No Jap ever understands anything worth understanding. I don't know why those fellows ever brought you to Mortonville, but I do know one thing--you can't speak to every boy you meet in the village."
Hoki said nothing, unable to fathom Carter's motive for talking thus. He could not see where one whom he had never harmed could have a motive for wishing to do him injury.
"So you're afraid, eh?" demanded the bully. "I thought so. You get that from Chot Duncan and his crowd."
"Chot Duncan all right!" said Hoki. His face was expressionless, but his little black eyes fairly snapped fire as he glared at his antagonist.
"Oh, he is, is he?" said Carter, advancing toward him. "I think I'd better teach you a lesson. You can't talk impudently to your betters. Don't you know that?"
"You're not my better," said the Jap boy, and as he spoke he straightened up and waited for Carter to approach.
Then, as the bully struck out straight from the shoulder, intending to lay Hoki out with one blow, something surprising happened. The Jap sidestepped, linked his arm around the bully's neck, and sent him hurtling over his shoulder into the roadway, where he lay, white and still.
"You've killed him!" cried one of the other boys.
"No, kill," said Jap, grimly. "Could kill, but don't want to kill--this time. Tell him it my pleasure is that he avoid me in future."
And with that Hoki started on up the road.
"Here, here," cried one of the boys; "you can't go yet. Wait till we find how badly he's hurt."
"He only stunned," Hoki replied. "Should you wish me, it would me great pleasure give to entertain you at the mansion of Mr. Duncan."
Then Hoki went on, while the boys assisted Carter Dane to his feet. Carter and the other boys started immediately for the Duncan residence, bent on vengeance, followed by several villagers who had seen the affair.
By the time they arrived, Hoki had told his story, and Chot, Tom and Fleet, with the Jap, were out in the yard, ready to receive them.
"Chot Duncan, you've got to give us that Jap," said Carter Dane.
"What do you want with the Jap?" Chot calmly asked.