the place? You can tell the older men where we are, and then Mr Rhinds
will bring you all around. He knows the place. Come along, Somers and
Hastings. Benson, bring the older ones as soon as you see them come out
of the hotel."

"Why, say, Jack, you go along now," urged Eph. "You know I don't care
much about chocolate, and you do. So run along. I'll stay right here
until I see our people."

"Good boy, Eph!" murmured Jack, gratefully. "You know my weakness for
hot chocolate. I feel as if I could punish four or five of 'em right
now."

As he turned away with Jack and Hal, Mr. Radwin looked rather
disappointed. In fact, he was exceedingly disappointed, for he had hoped
to leave Captain Jack Benson at this corner on the block below the hotel.

The street was practically deserted there. Yet barely two minutes had
passed when, about a block away, in the opposite direction from that of
the hotel, Eph heard a quick little feminine scream.

Wheeling about, Somers saw something that aroused his blood.

A girl, or young woman, he could not tell which, at the distance, cowered
back from a short, thick-set young man who had raised his hand to strike
her.

The next instant Eph saw the blow fall. Again the young woman cried out,
though not very loudly. But the brute seemed on the point of once more
striking her.