made
his hawk-like descent on the stand of the market woman, and was now
seeking to distract her attention so that his companion might also swoop
down to seize a prize, when they would go off, laughing uproarously, as
though they considered it a huge joke.

Paul was on the bully in a flash, and almost before Ted knew of his
presence he had torn the apple from his grasp and hurled it far away.

"Get out of this, you coward!" exclaimed the scout leader of the new
patrol, as he gave Ted Slavin a push; "I'm going to speak to the chief of
police about the way you rob this good woman, and see if he won't stop
it. You ought to be ashamed of yourselves, both of you!"

William and Bluff were for jumping at the two offenders, and giving them
a lesson then and there; but with both arms Paul held his fire-eaters
back.

"Let 'em come on, if they want to mix up with us. We can take care of
two, and think it a picnic. P'raps even three wouldn't be too much, if so
be you want to try it on, Paul Morrison. Huh! there comes another bunch
of your sissies. Seven against two might make it too interestin', so we'd
better skip out, Scissors. But you just wait, that's all. I don't forget
you laid a hand on me; and some time I'm going to take it out."

"Oh! suit yourself, Ted," answered the other, promptly. "I'm ready to
have a go at you when you're ready, if you force me to the wall. I'm not
a fighter, but when I see a couple of rowdies treating a poor old woman
like you did, it makes me see red."

With derisive jeers the pair faded away as several boys came running to
the spot, having seen the group, and guessing from the presence of the
two rival leaders that there must be something doing.

Their indignation was boundless when they learned what new meanness the
coming of Paul and his two chums had interrupted.

It required considerable persuasion on the part of the scout leader to
prevent an immediate chase of the culprits.

"Let them go this time," said Paul, impressively; "but I'm going to see
what can be done to put a stop to this rowdyism. It gives the boys of
Stanhope a bad name all around. I told Ted I'd speak to Chief Billings
about it."

"You won't get any too much satisfaction there," remarked wise Nuthin';
"because, you see the Chief owes his position to the political influence
of Mr. Kenwood; and as Ward runs with Ted he won't dare do anything for
fear of offending the head of the party. We've just _got_ to find a way
o