Seeing that escape was impossible, since, if some got away, others would be caught--and no girl was willing to desert her friends--the frightened plebes paused again and clustered about their leader.
"What do you want ?" asked Grace of one of the men.
"First your money, then your jewelry," answered the tramp, insolently leering at her.
"But suppose we haven't any money or jewelry," replied Grace.
"So much the worse for you, then," answered the tramp in a threatening tone.
"He can have this gold bracelet," exclaimed Jessica, slipping the band from her arm.
But Grace was not listening.

Her attention was absorbed by a group of people passing in a straggling line on the road.

Lifting up her voice she gave the High School yell, which had been familiar to every High School boy and girl for the last twenty years: "Hi-hi-hi; hi-hi-hi; Oakdale, Oakdale, HIGH SCHOOL!" As she expected, the call was answered immediately, and some of the loiterers along the highway vaulted the fence at one bound.
"Help!" cried all the girls in chorus.

"Help! Help!" "It's some of the High School boys!" exclaimed Nora, in a relieved voice as the rescuers came bounding through the orchard.
The tramps looked irresolute for a moment, but when they saw that the newcomers were five boys they held their ground.
"What do you want ?" said the tallest boy, with a flaming head of red hair, as he confronted one of the tramps.
"Thank heaven it's Reddy Brooks, pitcher on the sophomore baseball team!" whispered Grace, unable to conceal her joy.
"Is that any of your business, young man ?" demanded the tramp, showing his teeth like an angry dog.
"It's my business to protect these young ladies," answered Reddy Brooks, "and I'll do it if I have to shed somebody's blood in the attempt." "Ho, ho, ho!" laughed the big tramp, clapping his hands to his sides and almost dancing a jig in his amusement.
In the meantime Reddy had cast his eyes about for some kind of a weapon.
There was not a stick nor stone in sight.

The only thing he could find was a pile of winter apples that had evidently been collected by the owner of the orchard to be barreled next day.
Reddy made a rush for the pile, to the amazement of his fellow-students, who imagined for a moment that he was running away.