two dudish young men to leave her alone, and
stepping into the kitchen, Dick had tackled Dudd Flockley while Tom
and Sam had given their attention to Jerry Koswell.

"You cowards!" cried Dick, confronting Flockley. "Why can't you leave
a young lady alone when she tells you to?"

"They ought to be kicked out of the house," added Tom.

"You--you--" spluttered Dudd Flockley. He did not know what to say. He
gathered himself up hastily and Jerry Koswell followed. "Who are you?"
he demanded, facing Dick with clenched fists.

"Never mind who I am," was the reply of the oldest Rover. "Aren't you
ashamed of yourself?"

"This is none of your affair," came from Koswell.

"Well, we made it our affair," answered Tom. He turned to the girl "I
hope we did right," he added hastily.

"Why--er--yes, I think so," faltered the girl. She was still very
white and trembling. "But--but I hope you didn't hurt them."

"See here, Minnie, are you going to stand for this?" growled Dudd
Flockley. "It ain't fair! We're old friends, and--"

"You had no right to touch me, Mr. Flockley," answered the girl. "I
told you to let me go. I--I thought you were a--a--gentleman." And now
the tears began to show in Minnie Sanderson's eyes.

"I am a gentleman."

"You didn't act like one."

"Oh, come, don't get prudish, Minnie," put in Jerry Koswell. "We
didn't mean any harm. We--"

"I want you to leave this house!" said the girl, with a sudden show
of spirit. "You had no warrant to act as you did. It--it was--was
shameful! Leave at once!" And she stamped her small foot on the floor.
Her anger was beginning to show itself and her face lost its whiteness
and became crimson.

"We'll leave when we please," muttered Dudd Flockley.

"So we will," added Jerry Koswell.

On the instant Dick looked at his brothers, and the three advanced on
the two dudish-looking young men.

"You do as the young lady says," said Dick in a cold, hard voice. "I
don't know you, but you are not wanted here, and that is enough. Go!"
And he pointed to the door.

"See here--" blustered Flockley. But he got no further, for Dick
suddenly wheeled him around and gave him a shove that sent him through
the doorway and off the back porch.

"Now the other fellow," said the oldest Rover, but before Tom and
Sam could touch Jerry Koswell that individual ducked and ran after
Flockley. Then both young men stood at a safe distance.

"We'll fix you for this!" roared Flockley. "We don't