I won't fight you, but I'll chastise you, and you can protect yourself if you know how." He made a bound forward, intent on hitting Darrin, who stood his ground unflinchingly.

But Thompson seized the third classman by the shoulder and shoved him back.
"Now, stop this, Ripley, and you freshmen, cut it out, too," warned the athletic first classman.

"This is descending to a low level.

We don't want a lot of bickering or mouth-fighting, and we don't intend to have anything but fair play, either." "As this is largely my affair," broke in Dick Prescott, who had had time to cool down a bit, "let me have a chance to make an offer." "Go ahead," nodded Thompson.
"Then," proposed Dick, "since you won't let me fight today, why can't this meeting hold over until my hand is in shape?
Then I'll agree to give Ripley all he wants." "That's the only sensible thing I've heard said in five minutes," declared Frank Thompson, looking about him at other upper classmen.
"Is it the general opinion that the fight hold over for a few days, or, say, a fortnight ?" "Yes," came back an eager, approving chorus.
"Then so be it," proclaimed Frank.

"And now, remember, Ripley, this fight is not to be pulled off until the school agrees to it.