It looked as if there might be a regular fight, but in a few seconds the proprietor of the store appeared, armed with a mop stick he had picked up. He happened to be the father of the girl, and she told him how Tad Sobber had caught her by the hair.
"See here," began the candy store keeper, and flourished his mop stick at the bully. Then Sobber retreated from the establishment and Nick Pell did likewise, and both started on a run up the street.
"What do you cadets mean by coming in here and annoying my daughter?" demanded the storekeeper hotly. "If you can't behave yourselves, you had better keep away."
"We didn't hurt your daughter," said Sam.
"My brother here did what he could to save her from annoyance," said Tom.
"Oh, I know you cadets! You are all tarred with the same brush!" muttered the storekeeper. "I want you to get out--and stay out!"
"No 'buts' about it, young man. I want you to get out."
"Father, he made the other boy let go of my curls," explained the girl. "He caught the other boy by the ear."
"That may be, Fanny, but these young bloods are all alike. I don't want their trade. They must clear out, and stay away."
"Come on, fellows," said Dick. "We'll not stay if we are not wanted." He turned again to the storekeeper. "But I want you to remember one thing: We had nothing to do with annoying your daughter."
"Did they pay for the soda?" asked the man suddenly.
"Then this crowd has got to pay," went on the storekeeper, unreasonably. "How much was it?"
"We haven't bought anything and we'll not pay for anything," said Sam.
"Not a cent shall I pay," put in Songbird.
"Did vos a outrages!" burst out Hans. "Of you insult us some more I vos call a bolicemans alretty!" And he puffed up his chest indignantly.
"Well, you get out, and be quick about it!" cried the man, and raised his stick. "Don't let me catch any of you in here again either!"
"Don't worry,--we can spend our money elsewhere," said Tom.
"Where we are treated decently," added Dick, and walked from the candy store.
Once outside, the boys talked the situation over for all of ten minutes, but without satisfaction. All were indignant over the way the storekeeper had treated them, and Tom wanted to go back on the sly and play a trick on him, but Dick demurred.