Clipperton, easily swayed by any one who took the right course, hated subterfuge, and was peculiarly outspoken.
"Dill sprained his ankle," said he, in his usual short, jerky sentences. "That's why he's not here. He wanted to come, but couldn't. I reckon there are enough of us, anyway."
"I reckon there are," remarked Chub, his grin broadening dangerously. "All you fellows need is a few feathers to be a whole tribe."
A sharp breath rushed through Clipperton's lips, his muscles tightened, his fists clenched, and the war-look of his savage ancestors swept across his face. Chub's fling had caught him in the old wound.
"Cut it out, Chub," muttered Matt; "Clip's not responsible for this."
Perry also said something in a low tone to Clipperton. The latter's face was still black and relentless, but he held himself in check. Matt advanced a little toward Perry and turned slightly so as to face the boys with him.
"If it's a fight you fellows want," said he, "I guess you'll find the latch-string out. I want to give you the other side of this, though, before you proceed to mix things."
"That's right," snapped Perry, "crawfish! It's about what I'd expect of you."
There was a glint in Matt's eyes as he whirled on Perry.
"You can butt in later," said he, "and I'll come more than half-way to give you all the chance you want. Just now I'm going to have my say, Dace Perry, and I don't think"--Matt's voice was like velvet, but it cut like steel--"_I don't think_ you're going to interfere."
"We've got Perry's side of it," said "Ratty" Spangler, a youth well nicknamed, "and that's enough for _us_. Eh, boys?"
The chorus of affirmatives was short one voice--that of Splinters.
"If I'm in on this," spoke up Splinters, "we play the game right or we don't play it at all." He fronted Matt. "Perry says, King," he went on, "that you've had a grouch against him for a long while, and that you tried to work it off by taking him from behind and slamming him into the road."
"I did have a grouch and I did slam him into the road," said Matt. "If Chub had been around I'd have left it to him--but Chub wasn't handy."
Then, briefly, Matt told of the affair at the gate. Chub growled angrily and sprang forward, only to be caught by his chum and pushed back.