“Here we are,” he said, as he directed their steps toward one of the narrow courts which ran north from the main thoroughfare; but upon reaching the end, where a knot of excitable-looking men were talking loudly upon some subject which evidently interested them deeply, one of the loudest speakers suddenly ceased his harangue and directed the attention of his companions to the two lads. The result was that all faced round and stared at them offensively, bringing the colour into Andrew’s cheeks and making Frank feel uncomfortable.
“Let’s go straight on,” said the former; and drawing himself up, he walked straight toward the group, which extended right across the rough pavement and into the road, so that any one who wanted to pass along would be compelled to make a circuit by stepping down first into the dirty gutter.
“Keep close to me; don’t give way,” whispered Andrew; and he kept on right in the face of the staring little crowd, till he was brought to a standstill, not a man offering to budge.
“Will you allow us to pass?” said Andrew haughtily.
“Plenty o’ room in the road,” shouted the man who had been speaking. “Aren’t you going up the court?”
“I do not choose to go into the muddy road, sir, because you and your party take upon yourselves to block up the public way,” retorted Andrew, giving the man so fierce a look that for a moment or two he was somewhat abashed, and his companions, influenced by the stronger will of one who was in the right, began to make way for the well-dressed pair.
But the first man found his tongue directly.
“Here, clear the road!” he cried banteringly. “Make way, you dirty blackguards, for my lords. Lie down, some of you, and let ’em walk over you. Lost your way, my lords? Why didn’t you come in your carriages, with horse soldiers before and behind? But it’s no use to-day; the Lord Mayor’s gone out to dinner with his wife.”
A roar of coarse laughter followed this sally, which increased as another man shouted in imitation of military commands:
“Heads up; draw skewers; right forward; ma–rr–rr–ch!”