ed in
the direction of the pair who were disputing. Merwell had his back to
Dave and did not see him.

"Are you going to give me my gold piece or not?" demanded Link Merwell,
and now he gave the newsboy such a twist of the shoulder that the ragged
lad cried out with pain.

"I don't know anything about your gold piece!" cried the boy for at
least the tenth time. "Let me go, please, mister! I ain't no thief!"

"I'll twist your little neck off for you!" muttered Merwell, and was on
the point of hitting the boy in the face when Dave stepped up behind him
and caught his arm.

"Don't you know better than to hit a little chap like this, Merwell?" he
demanded.

"Porter!" muttered the western youth, and his face took on a sour look.
"Say, this ain't none of your affair!" he burst out. "You keep your
hands off."

"Please don't let him hurt me!" pleaded the ragged newsboy. "I didn't do
wrong, mister. I ain't seen no gold piece. He gave me a cent yesterday
for a newspaper, that's all." And the boy looked imploringly at Dave.

"He's got a five-dollar gold piece of mine," cried Link Merwell. "I want
it. And what's more, Dave Porter, I want you to keep your nose out of my
business!" he added, fiercely.

"Merwell," answered Dave, as calmly as he could, "I have no desire to
interfere in your business. But I am not going to stand by and see you
abuse this boy, or anybody else. I know just the sort you are--a bully."

"Bah! Just because you had me expelled from Oak Hall you think you can
do anything, don't you? Well, just wait till you get out West, that's
all! I'll show you a thing or two you won't forget as long as you live!"

"Take care that you don't get the worst of it, Merwell. Now let that boy
go." And Dave came a step closer and clenched his fists.

"Going to help the rascal steal five dollars from me?"

"He says he knows nothing of your gold piece and he looks honest to me.
Why aren't you more careful of your money?"

"He's got my gold piece and I know it!" declared Link Merwell, loudly.
"If he don't pass it over, I'm going to have him arrested."

Quite a war of words followed, the loud talking attracting a crowd,
including Phil and Roger and the girls. The ragged newsboy broke down
completely and commenced to cry bitterly.

"This is a shame, Merwell," said the senator's son. "I think as Dave
does, that the newsboy is honest. If you are so hard up, I'll give you
five dollars out of my own pocket," and he produce