In Honours Cause | Page 9

him off angrily, and then
uttered a cry of rage, for at that moment there was a loud crash and
splintering of glass, the mob in the court, evidently under the direction
of the well-dressed men, hurling stones, decayed vegetables, and
rubbish of all kinds in at the windows of the tavern.
This was responded to by shouts of defiance and a rain of pots, glasses,
and pails of water; and even the pails themselves were hurled down
upon the heads of the people in the court, while a long oaken settle
which came clattering down fell crosswise, the end coming within a
few inches of a man's head.
"Oh, do let's go!" Frank very naturally said, gripping Andrew's arm
hard.
But the lad seemed to have suddenly gone crazy with excitement,
shouting and gesticulating with the rest, directing his words, which
sounded like menaces, at the people crowding at the window of the
house.
At this the mob cheered, and, as if in answer to his orders, made a rush
for the door, surging in, armed for the most part with sticks, and as if to
carry the place by assault.
"I can't go and leave him," thought Frank; and directly after--as he
looked up the court toward the end by which they had entered, and
down from which they had been borne until they were nearly opposite
the house--"if I wanted to," he muttered, as he saw how they were
wedged in and swayed here and there by the crowd.
The noise increased, the crowd beginning to cheer loudly, as crowds
will when excited by the chance to commit mischief, and Frank
remained ignorant of the reasons which impelled them on, as he
watched the exciting scene. The sound of blows, yells of defiance, and
the angry, increasing roar of those contending within the house, set his
heart beating wildly. For a few minutes, when he found himself shut in
by the people around, a feeling of dread came over him, mingled with

despair at his helplessness, and he would have given anything to be
able to escape from his position; but as he saw man after man come
stumbling out bruised and bleeding, and heard the cries of rage uttered
by those who hemmed him in, the feeling of fear gave place to
indignation, and this was soon followed by an angry desire to help
those who, amidst the cheers of their fellows, pressed forward to take
the place of those who were beaten back.
It was at this moment that he saw two well-dressed men waving swords
above their heads, and, white now with rage, Andrew turned to him.
"The cowards--the dogs!" he whispered. "Frank lad, you will be man
enough to help?"
"Yes, yes," panted the boy huskily, with a sensation akin to that which
he had felt when hurt in his last school fight, when, reckless from pain,
he had dashed at a tyrannical fellow-pupil who was planting blow after
blow upon him almost as he pleased.
"Draw your sword then, and follow me."
Frank made a struggle to wrench himself free, but it was in vain.
"I can't!" he panted. "My arms are pinned down to my side."
"So are mine," groaned Andrew. "I can hardly breathe."
A furious yell of rage arose from fifty throats, and the two lads saw the
attacking party come tumbling one over the other out of the tavern,
driven back by the defenders, who charged bravely out after them,
armed with stick and sword; and almost before the two lads could
realise their position they found themselves being carried along in the
human stream well out of reach of the blows being showered down by
the rallying party from the house, who literally drove their enemies
before them, at first step by step, striking back in their own defence,
rendered desperate by their position, then giving up and seeking refuge
in flight, when with a rush their companions gave way more and more
in front.

For a few minutes the heat and pressure were suffocating, and as Frank
and his companion were twisted round and borne backward, the former
felt a peculiar sensation of giddy faintness, the walls swam round, the
shouting sounded distant, and he was only half-conscious when, in
company with those around, he was shot out of the narrow entrance of
the court; and then the terrible pressure ceased.
CHAPTER FOUR.
FRANK'S EYES BEGIN TO OPEN.
Everything else seemed to the boy to cease at the same time, till he
became conscious of feeling cold and wet, and heard a voice speaking:
"And him quite a boy too. I wonder what his mother would say.--Here,
drink this, my dear; and don't you never go amongst the crazy,
quarrelsome wretches again. I don't know what we're coming