"How?" asked Saunders.
"Why, all you've got to do is to insult him and then he'll have to
fight."
"How would you insult him?" asked Saunders eagerly.
"The best way," said Clark sententiously, "is to call him a hog in
public, and then, if he is a gentleman, he will be ready to fight."
"I'll do it," said Saunders. "I'm dying to see that fellow fight. Of
course, I don't care to fight him. We can get Starkie to do that, I
suppose."
"Yes," said Clark. "We'll select somebody that can handle him and teach
him his place, depend on that."
Saunders set out at once to carry out the program. As soon as he found
Jinks in a group of fourth-class men, he went up to him, and cried in a
loud voice,
"Jinks, you're a hog."
"Yes, sir," said Sam, saluting respectfully.
"Do you hear what I say? you're a wretched hog."
"Yes, sir."
"You're a hog, and if you're a gentleman you'll be ready to fight if
you're asked to."
"Yes, sir," responded Sam, as Saunders turned on his heel and walked
away. Somehow Clark's plan did not seem to have worked to perfection,
but it must be all right, and he hastened to report the affair to his
class committee, who promptly determined that Cadet Jinks must fight,
and that their classmate Starkie be requested to represent them in the
encounter. Starkie weighed at least thirty pounds more than Sam, was
considerably taller, had several inches longer reach of arm, and was a
practised boxer.
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