lve-mile trip in the auto through the crisp December air,
came swinging down the street at a brisk walk.

Just as this moment he espied the two girls, though he did not
see Dick or Dave. Belle happened to turn as Ripley came near
her.

"Hullo, Meade!" he called, patronizingly.

It is a trick with some High School boys thus to address a girl
student by her last name only, but it is not the act of a gentleman.
Belle resented it by stiffening at once, and glancing coldly
at Ripley without greeting him.

In another instant Dave Darrin, at a bound, stood before the astonished
Fred. Dave's eyes were flashing in a way they were wont to do
when he was thoroughly angry.

"Ripley---you cur! To address a young woman in that familiar
fashion!" glared Dave.

"What have you to say about it?" demanded Fred, insolently.

"This!" was Dave Darrin's only answer in words.

Smack! His fist landed on one side of Fred's face. The latter
staggered, then slipped to the ground.

"There's the car, Dick," uttered Dave, in a low tone. "Put the
girls aboard."

Half a dozen passers-by had already turned and were coming back
to learn the meaning of this encounter. Dick understood how awkward
the situation would be for the girls, so he glided forward, hailed
the car, and led Laura and Belle out to it.

"But I'd rather stay," whispered Belle, in protest. "I want to
make sure that Dave doesn't get into any trouble."

"He won't," Dick promised. "It'll save him annoyance if he knows
you girls are not being stared at by curious rowdies."

Dick quickly helped the girls aboard the car, then nodded to the
conductor to ring the bell. A second later Dick was bounding
back to his chum's side.

Fred Ripley was on his feet, scowling at Dave Darrin. The latter,
though his fists were not up, was plainly in an attitude where
he could quickly defend himself.

"That was an unprovoked assault, you rowdy!" Fred exclaimed wrathfully.

"I'd trust to any committee of _gentlemen_ to exonerate me," Dave
answered coolly. "You acted the rowdy, Ripley, and you'd show
more sense if you admitted it and reformed."

"What did he do?" demanded one of the curious ones in the crowd.

"He addressed a young lady with offensive familiarity," Dave replied
hotly.

"What did _you_ do?" demanded another in the crowd.

"I knocked him down," Dave admitted coolly.

"Well, that's about the proper thing to do," declared another
bystander. "The Ripley kid h