They were upon the crowd as he spoke, and Hal's right fist shot out with
stinging force, and the nearest assailant, struck on the side of the
neck, fell to the ground with a groan.

"Good work, Hal!" shouted Chester, at the same time wading into the crowd
of young ruffians, for such the attackers proved to be, and striking out
right and left.

Howls of anger and imprecations greeted the attack from this unexpected
source, and for a moment the ruffians fell back. In the time that it took
the crowd to return to the struggle, the boys forced their way to the
side of the victims of the attack, and the four, with their backs to the
wall, took a breathing spell.

"You didn't arrive a moment too soon," said one of the young men, with a
smile. "I had begun to think we were due for a trimming."

"There are four of us here," returned Hal, "and we ought to be good for
that crowd; but, instead of standing here, when they attack again, let's
make a break and fight our way through. There will be more of them along
in a minute, and it will be that much harder for us."

"Good!" returned the second stranger in French. "Here they come!"

"Are you ready?" asked Hal.

"All ready," came the reply from the other three.

"All right, then. Now!"