The Challenge
- It's spring and the boys are fishing.
- Terry and Job are discussing Tom and how he keeps bullying Manjiro.
- They think that Manjiro needs to go on the offensive and fight Tom, but Manjiro's not down with that idea because he's too worried about getting thrown out of school.
- Terry comes up with the idea of a sword fight since Tom won't know how to handle all those sword moves.
- Then the guys get on the topic of what happens when a sword cuts off a head.
- Manjiro contends that the body can still do some stuff after the head's been cut off and the other guys joke around about what the body does.
- It just so happens Mrs. Whitfield overhears their conversation and asks what's going on.
- The boys tell Mrs. Whitfield that Manjiro's being bullied at school.
- Mrs. Whitfield—taking it all in stride—tells Manjiro he should probably tell Mr. Whitfield about it.
- Manjiro, though, won't admit to the bullying.
- When the boys leave, he goes to Duffy (shortened from "Plum Duff") and tells the horse his troubles in Japanese.
- What should he do?