fight, but I can defend
myself. I propose to leave quietly, and take Harry and Joe with me."

"Supposing I won't let you leave?"

"I don't think you'll stop me."

"Come, Flapp, don't make a fool of yourself," put in Powell. "We didn't
come here to quarrel, but to urge all of the crowd to quit drinking.
You know it's against the Hall rules and regulations."

"And you intend to blab on us?"

"Not at all. I'm not that kind. And Dick Rover isn't either."

"I know how to fix 'em," came from Pender, with a cunning look in his
eye.

"How?" asked Flapp and Rockley, in concert.

"Our word is as good as anybody's. If they say they found us at Mike
Sherry's we can say that we found them there, too. For all we know they
were drinking below before they came up."

"That's it!" interrupted Lew Flapp, thinking he saw a way of
implicating Dick and Powell. "Mike Sherry never lets anybody in his
saloon without they drink something."

"It's as plain as day," came from Rockley.

"They had all the liquor they wanted before they came up, and now they
want to stop our sport."

"Your story might be believed were it not for one thing," said Dick,
trying to keep calm. "Come on, Harry, come, Joe." And he whispered
something into their ears.

"Oh, all right," said Harry Moss, and he retreated from the room,
speedily followed by Joe Davis.

"Hi! come back here, you young scamps!" roared Lew Flapp. And then he
made for the doorway leading to the next room.

"Not so fast, Flapp!" said Dick, and blocked the opening with his own
form, while Powell stood directly behind.

"Say, fellows, Moss and Davis are getting out of the window!" cried
Flapp, in astonishment.

"That's the way Rover and Powell must have gotten in," came from
Pender.

"Exactly," answered Dick, "and that proves we didn't have to stop below
for liquor," he added triumphantly.

"Look here, I don't mean to let those fellows go yet," blustered Lew
Flapp. "Let me get at them."

"Not to-night, Flapp."

Scarcely had Dick spoken when the tall boy flung himself forward. The
pair grappled, and a moment later both went down, with Dick on top.

"Hit him, Dick, don't let him get the best of you!" cried Powell, and
an instant later found himself tackled by Pender and Jackson. For the
moment Ben Hurdy, who had remained silent during the most of the talk,
did nothing, but then he ran forward, and watching his chance, kicked
Dick in the side of the head with his foot.

Th