“Hurt, my lads?” he said, as he took his pistol. “They were too many for me; I got the worst of it.”
“I’m not hurt, sir; are you?” I said.
“Only a bit bruised.”
“I am,” grumbled Esau. “Feel as if my wrist’s out of joint.”
By this time a crowd had assembled, and we were very glad to get away with our protector, after a few words of explanation to the two policemen, who told us we had better mind what company we got into, nodded to one another and laughed, as if it was all a good joke, and then went their way.
“Here, come to my diggings,” said Gunson, rather gruffly. “I thought I told you two to mind what you were about, and what sort of customers you would meet with out here.”
“Yes,” I said; “but—”
“Wait till we get to my place, and we’ll sit down and talk there. Some one has been pretty foolish to let two boys like you come wandering round the world by yourselves.”
In about ten minutes he stopped at so shabby looking a hotel that I half shrank from entering.
Gunson noticed it.