CHAPTER VI
AN ENCOUNTER WITH NODDY
At first it seemed as if Noddy was about to run away, like a childsurprised in some mischief. But he saw that he could not escape withoutgoing past the motor boys, unless, indeed, he jumped into the riverand swam across. So he decided to bluff it out. He turned aside andappeared to be gazing into the stream as the three comrades approached.
"What shall we do?" whispered Bob. "Speak to him or not notice him?"
"Leave it to me," said Jerry. "I'll see what he has been up to."
Noddy stooped and picked up several stones which he idly tossed intothe water.
"When did you get back?" asked Jerry, trying to speak politely to hisold enemy.
"None of your business!" retorted Noddy. "And what's more, if I findany of you fellers has been tellin' tales about me I'll make you smartfor it! I'll sue you for damages! I don't want to have anything to dowith you!"
"I guess that feeling is as much on our side as it is on yours," spokeNed.
"Exactly," chimed in Jerry. "And what's more, Noddy Nixon, if you feelthat way about it you'd better get off this dock. It's private propertyand we don't allow any but our friends to come here and see our motorboat. You're a trespasser and the sooner you move on the better we'lllike it."
"I'll go when I get good and ready!" fired back Noddy. "I came herebecause I have a claim against you, and I want it settled now or you'llbe the worse for it!"
"A claim against us?" asked Jerry. "What sort of a claim? Has itanything to do with the old mine that you didn't get?"
"You think you're mighty smart!" exclaimed Noddy, flushing as hethought of how the motor boys had outwitted him. "This is a claim Ihave against you for smashing one of my rowboats last night."
"Your rowboat!" exclaimed Ned. "Since when have you owned any rowboats?"
"There's the bill for damages," spoke Noddy, handing over a piece ofpaper.
The boys examined it curiously. It was a billhead on which was setforth that Noddy Nixon had succeeded to the business formerly conductedby James Lawrence of hiring out boats at Cresville. The bill was madeout to the three chums, jointly and called for the payment of fifteendollars for damage done to a rowboat.
"So you've been set up in business by your father, eh?" asked Jerry.
"My father has nothing to do with this. I'm my own boss," snapped Noddy.
"Must have made the deal quite suddenly," commented Ned. "Lawrenceowned the business up to two nights ago, for I hired a boat from himthen."
"The deal was closed last night," Noddy condescended to explain. "Theboat Andy Rush and Sammy Morton hired and took the girls out in was thefirst one I let and you had to go and run it down in your old motorboat. It was a piece of spite work and you'll have to pay for it."
"Look here, Noddy Nixon!" exclaimed Ned. "You've got a lot of nerve tocharge fifteen dollars for the little damage we did to your boat. Itwas an old one anyhow, for I know all Lawrence's craft and he hasn't anew one in the place. Besides I was steering and I saw what damage wedid. We smashed an oar, and we're willing to pay for that, or get you anew one."
"You smashed my boat, and you'll pay for it or go to jail!" fairlyshouted Noddy.
"I can prove that we only broke an oar!" exclaimed Ned.
"How you going to do it?" asked Noddy in sneering tones. "It was a darknight, and I have the broken boat to show what damage was done."
"If necessary we'll fight this case," spoke Ned quietly, "and we'llcall some one as a witness who can tell just how much the boat wasdamaged, for he was in it at the time."
"Who's that?" inquired Noddy, with a start.
"Your old pal Bill Berry! Bill may not relish being put on the witnessstand, but he'll have to go if you insist on pressing this bill."
Noddy turned pale.
"Bill Berry isn't within a hundred miles of here," he said faintly.
"Maybe he skipped out of town over night," spoke Ned, "but he was inthat boat last night. Don't try any more of your tricks on us, Noddy,or it may go hard with you!"
Ned crumpled up the bill into a ball and threw it at Noddy. He did notintend to do it, but the wad of paper struck the bully in the eye.
"I'll pay you for that!" cried Noddy.
He sprang at Ned, who was so surprised at the result of his thoughtlessact that he did not know what to do. Noddy's fist shot out and struckNed in the face.
With the instinct every boy has, when he is hit, to strike back, Neddoubled up his fists and assumed the attitude approved in the ropedarena. Noddy's rush had carried him past Ned, but the bully, enragedat the failure of his plans, came back with a jump straight at hisantagonist. It looked as if there would be a fistic encounter thatpeaceful Sunday.
"Don't fight him now!" cried Jerry rushing between the two. "Let it go,Ned. We don't want any trouble with the blackguard. We can settle withhim later!"
Deciding to obey his friend's advice Ned dropped his arms and steppedto one side. Noddy was close upon him and, when Ned got out of the wayso quickly the bully could not stop in time. Ned was standing nearthe edge of the dock, and, meeting with no resistance in his mad rushNoddy fairly flew over the string-piece and landed in the water witha resounding splash. He disappeared from sight as the river was quitedeep there.
"Get a rope!" cried Jerry.
"Throw him a life preserver!" yelled Bob.
"I'll get a boat hook!" exclaimed Ned, racing toward where the_Dartaway_ was kept.
By this time Noddy had come to the surface. He was spluttering andgasping, for his sudden bath had caught him unawares and his mouth andnose were filled with water. He floundered around, handicapped by hisclothes, and did not seem to know what to do.
Jerry was about to spring into the water when he was suddenly halted byhearing some one exclaim in a high pitched, sing-song voice:
"Never mind my lad, jumping after him. He's a regular duck, and surelycan swim!"
The boys turned to behold a shabbily dressed though pleasant faced mansauntering down on the dock.
"If it isn't Pete Bumps!" cried Bob, recognizing the odd character whoused to work for his father, but who now did odd jobs about the town."Can he really swim, Pete?"
"Swims like a feather in all kinds of weather," replied Pete, one ofhis peculiarities being to talk in rhyme.
Noddy, seeing there was no likelihood now of any one coming in afterhim began to strike out for shore.
"I'll give him a hand to reach the land," recited Pete, and, taking aboat hook, which Bob had by this time found, Pete proceeded to stickthe end into Noddy's coat, just back of his neck.
"Leave me alone!" snapped Noddy, between gasps.
But Pete was not to be cheated of his rescue. He got a firm grip withthe hook on Noddy's clothing and then, walking along the side of thedock, towed the bully ashore. In the excess of his zeal, Pete moved himso fast that half the time Noddy's head was under water, and he was inno amiable frame of mind when he staggered ashore, the water drippingfrom his Sunday suit.
"I'll--I'll have the law on you for this!" he cried.
"What? Because you took a notion to jump into the river?" asked Ned. "Iguess it would be a queer jury that would award you anything. Will youcome into the boat house and dry off?"
"I wouldn't go in your boat house for a hundred dollars!" cried Noddy."But I'll get even with you!"
"He's rather mad, for such a wet lad, but never mind that, I've gothis hat," said Pete, and, with a skillful motion he speared Noddy'shead-covering with the boat hook.
"Don't you spoil that hat!" cried Noddy.
"Now Noddy don't you worry, though I was in a hurry. It only has alittle tear, it's better than before to wear, because it lets in lotsof air," sung Pete, inspecting the hat, which had a small hole in it.
Noddy walked up on the dock, the water sloshing from his shoes at everystep. He picked up his wet hat, jammed it down on his head, and, withan angry look at the other boys started off. As he did so a figureburst through the bushes and ran toward the
group on the dock. At firstthe boys thought it was a tramp. They looked closely at the man.
"Why it's Bill Berry!" exclaimed Jerry. "I thought you said he was ahundred miles from here, Noddy."
"You old fool you, what did you want to come around for?" snarled Noddyat his notorious chum.
"I thought they were going to drown you, and I decided to take a handand give them a walloping," said Berry sullenly. "I owe them somethingon my own account."
He advanced threateningly toward the motor boys.