Jack's remark broke off abruptly as a small but heavy box thrown from the gutter landed directly on his head. Then another box came flying through the air, to strike between the three other Rovers. It was followed by a ball of soaking-wet and muddy newspapers which struck the show-window with a thud, sending some dirty drops of water into the Rover boys' faces. Fred was the first to whirl around in an endeavor to see where the two boxes and the wadded-up newspapers had come from. He was just in time to see two young fellows try to lose themselves in the rapidly moving crowd. "Gabe Werner!" he ejaculated. "There he goes!" "Yes, and there is Bill Glutts with him!" added Andy. "What's that?" questioned Jack. He had received a small cut on one ear from the flying box and his cap had been knocked over his eyes. "Werner and Glutts did it," answered Fred. "There they go down the street." "If that's the case we've got to catch them," returned the oldest Rover boy. "Come on, quick!" All started in pursuit of the two former bullies of Colby Hall. But to follow them through the rapidly moving crowd was not easy, and several times they were afraid the rascals would get away from them. "Here, here! Take your time," said a policeman to Fred, as the latter brushed by him. "Take your time." "I'm after a fellow who ought to be arrested," answered Fred quickly. "Where is he?" demanded the bluecoat with interest. "There he goes--down around the corner!" And then, as the policeman showed no disposition to leave his post, the youngest Rover boy hurried away after the others. Werner and Glutts had looked back, and seeing that the Rovers were in pursuit, they had tried to throw them off the trail by passing around the nearest corner. Now they headed in the direction of the East Side. "I told you not to bother with them," panted Glutts, who was somewhat out of breath. "Now, for all you know, they'll have us arrested." "Oh, shut up your whining, Bill!" growled Werner in disgust. "I wish I had knocked that Jack Rover's head off with the box." "You came very near busting the window." "I wouldn't care if I did bust it," answered the other recklessly. "It don't look as if that dose of pepper hurt Jack Rover much." "Never mind. I'll fix him some day, you see if I don't." The two glanced back once more and to their chagrin saw that the Rovers had come around the corner and were chasing after them faster than ever. This caused Bill Glutts to become more frightened than before. "Oh, what shall we do? They'll catch us sure!" he wailed. "No, they won't! Come on!" yelled Werner, and caught his crony by the arm. He was too excited to notice carefully where he was running, and the next instant he, followed by Glutts, brought up against a stand on the sidewalk in front of a small shop. This stand was filled with various articles of bric-a-brac, and it went down with a crash, carrying dozens of small articles with it. CHAPTER XVIII BOUND FOR TEXAS