Chapter Three.
Getting into Hot Water.
The excitement of his companion was now communicated to Frank Gowan, and as fast as they could walk they hurried on toward the gate at the corner of the Park, passing knot after knot of people talking about the scene which had taken place. But the boy did not forget to look eagerly in the direction of the row of goodly houses standing back behind the trees, and facing on to the Park, before they turned out through the gate and found themselves in the tail of the crowd hurrying on toward Palace Ward.
The crowd grew more dense till they reached the end of the street with the open space in front, where it was impossible to go farther.
“Let’s try and get round,” whispered Andrew. “Do you hear? They’re fighting!”
Being young and active, they soon managed to get round to where they anticipated obtaining a view of the proceedings; but there was nothing to see but a surging crowd, for the most part well-dressed, but leavened by the mob, and this was broken up from time to time by the passing of carriages whose horses were forced to walk.
“Oh, if we could only get close up!” said Andrew impatiently. “Hark at the shouting and yelling. They are fighting with the soldiers now.”
“No, no, not yet, youngster,” said a well-dressed man close by them; “it’s only men’s canes and fists. The Whigs are getting the worst of it; so you two boys had better go while your heads are whole.”