Not a word had been said about who should be "captain." Pence had once rowed stroke in a freshman eight at Belding. Frequently the chap in that place is captain of the crew, but not always.
"You've got a fat chance to be captain," scoffed Harry Kirby, one evening when he and his three friends were by themselves. Joe Bootleg did not count, for he kept strictly away from the white boys unless he was told to do something by Ben, to whom he looked for his wages. "A fat chance," repeated Kirby in the most irritating tone he could command. "Kingdon kid hogs everything. He doesn't give anybody else a bite."
"Talking about biting, you can growl, can't you?" said Horace, placidly.
"Oh," returned the other, "I don't care about myself. I don't care where I row--or if I row at all. I'm only doing it, anyway, to keep peace in the family."
"Peace is sometimes hard to come by, isn't it?" murmured Pence, with his cap over his eyes and an air of exaggerated carelessness that was bound to irritate a fellow as much worked up as Kirby was just then.
"You can make believe you don't care----"
"Certainly I care! I've gone into this for one thing--just one thing," Pence declared with sudden sharpness.
"I'd like to know what it is. We'll bust up in a row with those fellows. I come near licking that redheaded guy to-day."
"You'd have a nice time doing it, Kirby," put in Ben Comas, delighted to see his two comrades on the verge of a scrap. "Phillips could eat you up. I saw him boxing with Kingdon the other morning, and, take it from me, he has a punch. King had hard work to keep away from it."
"King!" snarled Kirby, like an angry dog. "You've got the disease, too, Comas!"
"What disease is that?" asked the lazy one, startled.
"Calling that curly-haired pet King. He's a fine king! If it wasn't for his name, he wouldn't be leading that bunch. He's got 'em under his thumb, and now he's starting in on you fellows."
"Hear him rave," grunted Pudge MacComber, widely agrin. "Never did hear Harry take on so."
"The whole thing will end up in a fight," insisted Kirby, subsiding.
"You won't be in it, if you see it coming," drawled Pence. "We may be sure it suits Kingdon. He says he loves to fuss with us."
"I'd like to give him all he's looking for," mumbled Kirby.