Those four young Rovers are out here right by the window!"

"You don't say so!" burst out Carson Davenport.

"If they are by this window maybe they were spying on us," put in the
man named Jackson.

In the meanwhile there was something of a fight going on outside. Gabe
Werner had tried to break away, and then launched a blow at Jack, who
returned by hitting him a crack in the jaw.

"See here, you leave Werner alone!" blustered Slugger Brown.

"You keep out of this, Slugger!" cried Jack, and then, as Werner hit out
a second time, Jack dodged and the bully's fist struck the side of the
building, skinning several of his knuckles. Then Jack landed a blow with
all the force he could command on Werner's left ear, and the rascal went
down on the cinder path and rolled over into the roadway.

By this time the men in the restaurant had run outside and were coming
up.

"What's the rumpus here?" demanded Jake Tate, pushing his way through
the crowd of boys. He was a burly individual, and could at times put on
a most aggressive manner.

"We caught these four fellows right by this window," declared Nappy
Martell, with a sharp look first at Tate and then at Davenport.

"It looked to us as though they might be spying on you," added Slugger
Brown, and he too gave Davenport a peculiar look.

"Spying on us, eh?" muttered the oil company promoter in anything but a
pleasant manner. "Fine piece of business to be in!"

By this time Gabe Werner had rolled over and gotten to his feet. But
instead of coming at Jack again, he kept at a safe distance, in the
meanwhile sucking his bruised knuckles and nursing his left ear.

"We have a right to walk on this street if we want to," remarked Randy.

"They were standing right by this window, and appeared to be listening
to something," declared Slugger Brown.

"Then they must have been listening to what we were saying," grumbled
Jackson.

"How long were you at this window, young fellow?" demanded Jake Tate.

"I guess that's our own business," and Randy's eyes flashed defiance.

"You want to keep your eyes on those Rovers," cautioned Nappy Martell.
"They're as sly as foxes. I know 'em!"

"And they'll do you harm if they can," added Slugger Brown.

"He is saying that because we wouldn't stand for any of his underhanded
work," explained Fred.

"We never did stand for anything that wasn't on the level," added Andy,
and looked at Carson Davenport suggestively.

"See here, young fello