Crooning in guttural tones, he started a swaying motion of his body.  Gradually the unmelodious noise rose in volume.  Brandishing his hands as though they contained weapons, he circled about the tree, gradually drawing nearer to Darrin.

“That song is mighty poor stuff,” growled one of the tramps.

“Ready, Dave!  Make a swift break for it!” whispered Prescott.

CHAPTER X

REUBEN HINMAN PROVES HIS METTLE

Uttering a loud whoop, Dick pushed Dave lightly.

At the same instant both young football players gathered for the spring, then started to speed away.

But they had had no chance to be quick enough, for some of the tramps had moved closer.

Both fugitives were seized, and now the battle was on again—–­two boys against overwhelming odds.

Right at the outset, however, a new note sounded.

“Go into it!” roared Tom Reade’s voice.  “Give ’em an old-fashioned high school drubbing.”

Three more figures hurled themselves into the fray.  And now, indeed, the battle raged.  On the part of the high school boys there was no longer any thought of retreat, though it was still a matter of six men against five lads.

In the excitement of their friends’ arrival, Dick and Dave were able to wrench themselves free.

Though those on the defense were boys, they were boys of good size, whose muscles had been hardened by regular training, as well as by grilling work on the football field.

Reade, in his first onset, hit one of the tramps such a blow that the fellow went to earth, where, though conscious, he preferred to remain for a while.  Then it was five against five.  But Dan soon got in a belt-line blow that put another tramp out of the fight.

From the road the two scouts ran up.  When they saw, however, how the fight was going, they slunk off.

It was soon all but over.  The boss tramp, however, armed with a club, crept up behind Prescott, aiming a savage blow at his head.

The blow would have landed, but for a new interruption.

With a cry that was more of a scream of alarm, old Reuben Hinman threw himself forward into the fray.  Both his lean arms were wrapped around the tramp’s legs.

Down came the tramp, just as Dick wheeled, falling heavily across Reuben Hinman, knocking the breath from the peddler.

Tom and Dave seized the boss tramp, as he tried to get up, hurling him back to the earth and sitting upon him.

“Let me up!  Lemme go!” yelled the tramp.

“Keep cool,” advised Tom.  “You’re likely to stay with us a while.”

“Don’t let him go,” cried Prescott.  “That wretch has all of Mr. Hinman’s money in his pockets.”

“He’ll give it up, then,” guessed Reade.

“Come back here, you men!” roared the boss tramp, finding that all his fellows had fled.