Page:Boys of Columbia High on the Gridiron.djvu/49

Rh order to keep their courage up, and prevent Ralph from recognizing any one particular voice.

The beleaguered boy was himself fighting like a cat at bay. He had no positive asurance that friends were near, and with so many eager hands striving to reach his face and body, he had to retaliate, giving blow for blow.

Once he managed to dash his clenched fist into the face of a fellow who, in his eagerness, had rushed in too close.

"Wow!" bellowed the stricken party, and somehow it seemed to Ralph that the voice was that of Tony Gilpin.

More than once he was himself the recipient of blows, some severe and others of a glancing nature. For a brief period of time there was a constant maelstrom of hands flying back and forth, accompanied with shouts, jeers and grunts.

"Oh, you cowards!" called Ralph, as a blow struck him on the back of the head, and almost stunned him for a second; one of the crowd, not daring to face the boy at bay, having crept alongside the tree to watch his chance.

He could easily believe that this was Asa Barnes. Immediately a mad desire possessed him to pounce upon that sneak and return the blow with interest. Despite the array of threatening fists that formed a half-circle in front, Ralph threw himself around to