ly our little student carries himself!
He must have been to see his sweetheart, and feels proud of himself."

"He has the stride of a banker," jeered another. "I wonder if he has
his bank with him."

Dave's ear, quickly attuned to the French tongue, caught and
understood the words.

"Let me see what you look like," urged the slim fellow, reaching out
and plucking from Darrin's nose the blue eye glasses just as Dave was
passing the group.

That gesture and the act were so insulting that Ensign Darrin could
not keep back the flash that leaped into his eyes. He halted,
regarding the Apache steadily.

"Why, bless me! He's an American!" cried the Apache. "All Americans
are rich, you know. My friend, have you a few sous for a group of poor
workingmen?"

Dave essayed to pass on. As he did so, a foot was thrust out. Dave saw
the movement and leaped over the foot to avoid being tripped.

"At him!" hissed the slim Apache. "Let us shake out his pockets."

Dave sprang forward, although he knew that he could not hope to run
away. Instead, he leaped to a wall, placing his back against it. There
he halted, glaring defiantly at his assailants, his fists up and ready
for instant action.

"Sail in! Trim him!" snarled the slim one. "If our little American
shows fight--kill him!"

The first who reached Dave reeled back with a broken nose, for
Darrin's first was hard.

"Stick the pig!" cried the leader, meaning that the young officer was
to be stabbed. Not one of the four had a knife, it seemed.

As they surrounded him, the one with the injured nose having returned
to the fray, that slim Apache drew out a sandbag, long and narrow,
shaped like a sausage, made of canvas and filled with sand. This is
one of the most deadly weapons in the world.

"Let us see what soothing medicine will do!" he jeered.

In an instant all four had brought sandbags to light, and all closed
in upon the desperate American.

"Come on, you cowards!" roared Dave, forgetting his French and lapsing
back into English. "If I go out I'll take one of you with me."

Trying to tantalize their victim, the Apaches made thrusts at Ensign
Dave, and then leaped nimbly back. It was their hope that he would
spring forward at them and thus leave his rear unguarded. It is
easiest to use the sandbag on a victim from behind, though the tactics
now employed were favorites with the Apaches.

Dave had sense enough to divine the nature of their trick. Unless the
police