It was a comical spectacle to see the little red-headed cop yanking about the giant of the college, but it did not seem very funny to Browning.
“Say,” he growled, thrusting his fist under the officer’s nose, “if you do that again, I’m going to thump you once, for luck.”
The policeman had a violent temper, and very little judgment.
“Attimpting to resist arrist, are yez!” he shouted, and then, without another word, he rapped Bruce over the head, bringing the big fellow to his knees.
Browning had not looked for such a move, and he was so stunned that he could not rise at once, whereupon the policeman lifted his club again, as if to hit him once more.
The blow did not fall.
Frank’s hand caught the club and held it back, Paul Pierson and Bart Hodge yanked Browning to his feet, Danny Griswold gave the big fellow a shove, and the voice of Ned Noon was heard shouting:
“Git!”
This turn of affairs was not at all satisfactory to the town boys, who had been delighted when the officer started to arrest one of the college lads.
At New Haven there is constantly more or less feeling between the town lads and the students. Sometimes this feeling is so strong that it is not safe for a well-known student to be caught alone in town at a late hour of the night. He is in danger of being stoned, pounded and forced to run for his life.