There was instant consternation in the group under the chestnut
trees. All the rah-rah boys leaped to their feet, but, ere they
could stir, there was a whizzing sound on the air.

Plunk! Plunk! Ker-plunk! Missiles were flying through the air
and the rah-rahs were stopping a good many of them with their
own persons.

"Hey! Stop that!" bellowed one of the rah-rahs. "You---wow!"

For his utterance had been for the moment stopped by a large-sized
green apple that had struck him full in the mouth.

"Hey! Let up!"

But nothing could stay the fast and furious volley of green apples
until Dick & Co. had exhausted their ammunition. Most of the
shots found targets, too.

Once they had had time to recover from their bewilderment the
rah-rahs turned in full, inglorious flight, without attempting
to strike a single blow in their own defense. Who was going to
be fool enough, anyway, to run blindly into a storm of flying
green apples?

Dick and his chums expended the last of their ammunition while
chasing the rah-rahs. Their missiles gone, the Gridley boys put
on full speed, ran after and overhauled some of their late foes
and drubbed them well.