"It's a tie race between Dick and Larry!"
"Humph! And Peter said he was bound to win!"
Then over the line shot the skaters, Dick and Larry side by side and laughing merrily. As soon as the race was ended they locked arms to show their good feeling. Then Marley came in with Sandwick at his heels. In deep disgust Peter Slade refused to finish, but circled to one side and hurried to the boathouse, there to take off his skates and disappear.
"It was a well-skated race," declared George Strong. Then he asked Dick and Larry if they wanted to skate off the tie.
"We won't bother," said Dick, after consulting his chum. "We are satisfied to let it stand as it is, considering that there was no prize to be awarded."
The fact that he had lost the skating race made Peter Slade more sour than ever, and after that, whenever he met Dick, he glared at the eldest Rover boy defiantly.
"He acts as if he had a personal grudge against me," said Dick to his brothers.
"Well, he acts that way to me, too," answered Tom.
"He ought to have his head punched well," was Sam's comment.
Peter Slade did not seem to care that Larry had beaten him--his enmity was directed mainly at Dick.
Slade was in one of the lower classes, but one day one of the teachers announced a lecture on the battleships of the American navy, and a large number of boys came in to listen and to take notes.
In the midst of the lecture Dick had occasion to pass down one of the aisles. As he went by Peter Slade the latter put out his hand and hit him in the knee. Slade's hand had ink on it and the ink went on Dick's clean uniform.
"What did you do that for?" demanded Dick, halting.
"I've a good mind to box your ears," went on Dick.
"Will you?" roared the bully, leaping up. "Just try it!" And so speaking he made a pass at Dick's head.
The blow landed on Dick's shoulder, leaving an ink mark behind it. The eldest Rover boy had leaped to one side. But now he leaped forward, and a well-directed blow from his fist sent Slade reeling backward over a desk.
"Stop that!" cried the teacher, in alarm, and brought his lecture to an abrupt end.
"A fight! A fight!" cried several of the boys, and left their seats to surround Dick and the bully.
Slade was dazed for a moment, but on recovering he sprang at Dick and tried to force him to the floor. Around and around went the pair, bumping against the desks and sending some books to the floor. The teacher tried to get at them, but before he could do so they had separated. Then Dick hit Slade a telling blow in the left eye which caused the bully to fall into a nearby seat.