"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.