“It’s an outrage to strike anybody with that chain,” said Sam.

“You needn’t put your oar in, Sam Rover!”

“But he just will, and so will I,” said Tom.  “Give me that chain,” and he tried to pull it from Lew Flapp’s hand.

“Let go!” screamed Lew Flapp, and began a struggle to keep the chain in his possession.  He struck at Tom, hitting him in the shoulder.  Then Tom got mad, doubled up his fist, and Lew Flapp received a blow in the left eye that made him see stars.

“Oh!” he howled and dropped the chain.  “Tom Rover, I’ll get even for that, mind that!”

“What do you mean by attacking Harry Moss in such a disgraceful fashion?”

“Because he’s a sneak, and you know it.”

“I know nothing of the kind.”

“Didn’t he go and blab on me to Captain Putnam?”

“About what?”

Lew Flapp paused and eyed Tom and Sam curiously.

“I reckon you know well enough,” he remarked slowly.

“But I don’t know anything.  Do you, Sam?”

“Not a thing.  So far as I know Harry is all right.”

“Is he?” sneered Flapp.  “Well, I don’t think so.”

“What was the trouble about, Harry?” asked Tom, turning to the small boy.

“Don’t you say a word!” shouted Lew Flapp, in alarm.  “If Tom and Sam Rover don’t know already they needn’t know at all, so there.”

“Evidently you don’t want Harry to talk,” said Sam suggestively.

“He’s a sneak, I tell you.”

“And you are a big, long-legged bully,” retorted Tom.  “For two pins I’d give you a good drubbing.”

“Humph!  Do you think you can lick me?” blustered Flapp, who felt certain he could best Tom at fisticuffs.

“I don’t think so—­I know it,” said Tom coolly.

“Don’t you fight him, Tom,” said Sam, in alarm.  “He only wants to get you into trouble.  He’d like nothing better than to see you lose your position as lieutenant.”

“He’s afraid,” sneered Lew Flapp.  “All of you Rover boys are mere bags of wind.”

“I don’t think you found Dick a bag of wind, Flapp.”

“Yes, I did.  Now you clear out and let Moss and me settle this affair between us.”

But this was not to be, for Harry Moss was already at the doorway of the boathouse and now he retreated to a safe distance.

“If you hit Tom Rover, or Sam, I’ll call Mr. Strong?” cried the little cadet,

“Don’t you do it,” said Tom.  “I am not afraid of Flapp.”

“But he’s so big, Tom.”

“I don’t care for that.”

Tom had scarcely spoken when Lew Flapp, watching his opportunity, leaped forward and planted a blow on his chin that sent him staggering back into Sam’s arms.

“Now come on, if you dare!” he cried.

“All right!” came from Tom, as he recovered.  And like a flash he flew at Lew Flapp, before Sam could do a thing to stop him.  Blow after blow was taken and given by each of the cadets, and Tom was hit in the chest, on the shoulder, and in the left cheek.  In return Flapp got one in the right eye that almost closed up that optic and then came a blow on the nose that made the blood spurt in all directions.