But Jarvis was full of pluck. Brodsky, at this juncture, got unsteadily to his feet and elbowed his way into the circle about the combatants. "All liars!" he cried, whereat the crowd picked him up bodily and threw him out over the heads of those at the rear. By this time Kalinski was getting slower in his movements, and the strong fists of the Iron Boy were beating a tattoo on the pit boss's face and ribs. The crowd, seeing that Kalinski was getting the worst of it, set up yells of disapproval. "Throw him out! Put him in the river!" With one common purpose the idlers surged forward. At that moment some one began pushing and elbowing through the crowd. Then Steve Rush strode into the ring where the man and the boy were battling for a finish. Steve had been on his way home from his day's tramp in search of a position when the shouts of the crowd attracted his attention. He hurried on to learn what was going on. His surprise was great when he saw the bandaged head of Bob Jarvis bobbing up and down in the centre of the ring. "Bob's at it again!" groaned Steve. "Will he ever learn to keep out of trouble?" Steve quickly noted the sinister attitude of the crowd. He knew that in a moment they would fall upon Jarvis, and it was a foregone conclusion that the lad would be roughly handled. Perhaps both boys would be roughly treated, but this did not deter Rush from springing to the rescue of his companion. "Stand back!" Steve shouted, as he leaped into the narrowing space about the fighters. "Stand back, every one of you. It's a fair fight. Let them have it out. I don't know what it is all about, but I know nobody is going to interfere unless he wants to fight me!" "Throw him out!" howled a voice. The cry was quickly taken up by other voices. Steve Rush was now the object of their disapproval. "Men, I tell you to stand back! It will be the worse for you if you don't." Uttering a yell the idlers rushed the plucky Steve. CHAPTER XI READJUSTING THEIR FINANCES "Police! Police!" yelled a voice on the outer edge of the circle. "Police!" echoed the crowd, running in all directions, for these foreigners held the officers of the law in wholesome awe. They had had experience with the uniformed police on other occasions. Kalinski did not run, for the very good reason that he could not. Bob was following him up too closely. Neither did Steve Rush nor Ignatz Brodsky attempt to run away. It had been Ignatz's voice that had called out the warning. There were no police in sight, but the boy, with quick wit, had cried out in order to save Steve from the wrath of the mob. Rush, as he shot a keen glance at the grinning face of Ignatz, quickly comprehended. "That's enough, Bob. Let him go. You are even with him. Come on now--stop it!" "All right, in a min--minute----" thump! "That's for the boy Ignatz, and"--thump--"that for Rush, and"----Bob uttered a grunt as he launched a terrific blow at his adversary, "that's for me!"