olly:

"What are we going to do? First of all, we are merely going to
suggest for your consideration the idea that gentlemen don't remain
where they're not wanted."

"Freshie!" yelled one of the eight contemptuously.

"Toss him in a blanket," advised another.

"We don't mind your presence as much as your bad manners," Dick
remarked coldly. "Will you kindly take your leave?"

"No!" shouted three or four of their tormentors derisively.

Dave, his fists still clenched, bounded forward. One chap, in
an especially brilliant blazer, reached out to box Darry on the
ear.

That blow never landed, but the tormentor did---on the earth.

_"Eight rainbow hoboes,
Looking for life's leaven,
One bumped his eyelash,
And then there were but seven!"_

improvised Danny Grin joyously.

"Clean out this camp!" yelled one of the others.

"Come on and do it, then!" yelled Tom Reade, losing all patience
at last.

Dick & Co. suddenly presented a solid fighting rank that had
accomplished great things on the gridiron. In this formation they
advanced toward their tormentors.

There might have been an ugly clash, but one of the eight shouted:

"Come on, fellows! Don't tease the babies. They haven't had
their warm milk yet."

Away darted the rainbow eight, Darrin's victim being on his feet
by this time and foremost in the retreat.

"Rah, rah, rah!" came back on the air as the high school boys
broke a formation for which they had no further need at present.

"Those fellows are plainly guests at the hotel, and we're going
to have trouble with them yet," Prescott predicted wisely.

CHAPTER XIII

A SNUB AND THE QUICK RETORT

At half-past five o'clock the next day, Dick & Co. strolled up
to the porch of the Ashbury Terraces Hotel.

From one of the parlors a cry of recognition in a girlish voice
floated out. Then appeared the Gridley High School girls, with
Susie Sharp in the lead.

"I thought you told us you didn't have any other than your hike
clothing with you!" Susie cried accusingly to Tom Reade.

"We didn't. We told you the truth," Reade rejoined.

"Then these-----"

"These new clothes were bought with money from the treasury,"
Reade informed her.

"Does our appearance suit you, ladies?" Greg asked smiling.

"You look like so many tailor's models," replied Belle Meade,
adding, sweetly: "If that is any praise."

Certainly Dick & Co., clad in well-fitting white duck suits, presented
a creditable a