For an hour they walked along the streets, and at last found themselves in the midst of the Latin Quarter of the French capital.  Here they saw many others of their own apparent ilk, dressed in rags, dirty, and carrying a certain hangdog and famished look.

“Guess we are in the right place,” said Hal to Chester in a low voice.

“Looks like it,” said Hal, “but the question is, how are we going to find out anything?”

“We’ll have to trust to luck,” said Chester.

But Dame Fortune smiled upon them sooner than they could possibly have anticipated, and it came about in this wise: 

As the lads walked slowly along they were attracted by a terrible din and confusion in the distance.  They stopped for a moment and listened and then went forward swiftly.

Rounding a corner into a dark side street they came abruptly upon the scene of the confusion.  A dirty little street Arab was defending himself with bravery and skill against an overwhelming number of other rowdies.  The little fellow was fighting with tooth, nail and foot, but in spite of his agility and stubbornness, he was getting the worst of the encounter.

He went down and the others piled on top of him.

“Come on, Hal,” exclaimed Chester, “let’s give the fellow a hand.”

“All right,” agreed the latter; “but, remember, no guns.  It would give us away.”

They dashed quickly forward, and, striking out right and left, cleared a path for themselves and were soon at the side of the fallen man.  While Hal stood off the enemy Chester bent down and lifted the little man to his feet.  The latter recognized the touch of a friendly hand and quickly jumped up.

“Thanks,” he said briefly, and jumped to Hal’s side to renew the encounter.

Chester sprang forward with him.  And these reenforcements reached Hal none too soon, for he was being sorely pressed by his foes.  One of the enemy, making a slight detour, suddenly launched himself headlong at Hal, and came down on his shoulder, and with his talon-like fingers clawed at the lad’s face.

With a quick twist of his arm the lad succeeded in catching his opponent by the throat, and, exerting great pressure with his other arm, bore upward heavily.  There was a choking screech from the man and he lay limp in Hal’s arms.  Then the lad, raising him at arm’s length, dashed him full in the faces of the foe.

The little man to whose help the lads had come took this in out of the tail of his eye.

“Bien!  Bien!” he exclaimed, and dashed forward.

Hal and Chester were right behind him.

Hal struck out with his right, and one of the enemy toppled over with an oath.  Another went down before his left fist.  Chester, with a heavy blow, felled another of their opponents, and the little man, snarling and fighting with hands and feet, quickly disposed of two more.

The enemy drew back and the three had time for a breathing spell.  Their foes, however, had no mind to give up the fight, and with a sudden concerted dash, surrounded the trio.