“That’s the way to do it, Jack!” came from Pepper.

“He started it, now give him what he deserves!” added Fred.

“That’s for the slap in the face, Reff Ritter!” said Jack, in cold tones.  “Now mind and keep your distance.”

“Wait—­I’m not done yet!” yelled the bully, and doubling up his fists he hurled himself on the young major.

Several body blows were struck and then the two clinched.  As Ritter was partly stripped for battle, while Jack had on his stiff uniform, the bully had a little the better of it from the beginning.  Around and around the gymnasium floor they struggled.

“Break away!” cried several cadets.  “Break away!”

“I’ll break if he will,” answered Jack.

“All right,” answered Ritter, and the hold of each youth was loosened.  But as they broke the bully tried to land his fist on Jack’s ear.

“Hi, that isn’t fair, Ritter!” cried Fred.

“You keep out of this, Century!” was Coulter’s warning.

“I’ll not keep out, Coulter.  Make Ritter fight fair.”

Again the two cadets faced each other.  Now Ritter was on his guard, and cleverly ducked a blow aimed at his face.  Then he hit Jack on the chest and in the shoulder.

“That’s the talk,” came gleefully from Paxton.  “Pummel him well while you are at it.”

Again Jack struck out, and this time landed on the bully’s arm.  But then Ritter swung a heavy left-hander that took the young major in the ear and sent him staggering against Pepper.

“Follow him up!  Follow him up!” screamed Coulter.  “You’ve got him going, Reff!  Finish him!”

Thus encouraged, Ritter leaped in and another blow landed on Jack’s ear.  He was a bit dazed, but shut his teeth hard and ducked under Ritter’s arm.  Then both sparred for an opening, circling around the gymnasium floor once more, the crowd of cadets around them growing larger and larger.

“It’s a great fight, all right!”

“Say, I hope none of the teachers come to cut it short.”

“They are about evenly matched aren’t they?”

“I don’t know; we’ll soon find out.”

So the talk ran on, but to it neither Jack nor Ritter paid attention. 
The bully was in a fierce rage, while Jack tried his best to keep cool. 
Suddenly Ritter leaped forward and two quick blows were delivered.

Jack knocked one blow aside and dodged the second.  Then he let drive, right and left, as quick as lightning and with all his strength.  One blow took the bully in the nose and the second in the mouth.  Over he went against one of the wooden horses.  Then his eyes suddenly closed, and in a limp mass he slid to the floor.

CHAPTER VI

CAPTAIN PUTNAM INVESTIGATES

“Reff Ritter has been knocked out!”

“My, what blows they were!”

“Well, he brought it on himself,” said Pepper.