While this was taking place, several of the men were ripping open an old feather bed they had brought with them. Into this Ben was plunged, and rolled over and over until he looked more like an unsightly feathered creature than a human being. He was then made to stand on his feet for general inspection. The men shouted with laughter at the ludicrous spectacle he presented, and all kinds of uncomplimentary remarks were made.
"Who's your tailor?" asked one.
"Is that the latest fashion?" questioned another.
Presently Jake raised his hand, and the babel of tongues ceased.
"Now, look here, Ben," he began, "this is a nasty job, I know. But it was comin' to ye, an' it had to be done sooner or later. Ye were altogether too fresh an' there was no livin' in the parish with ye. This is jist a warnin' to you an' all connected with ye, that the men of Rixton won't stand no more tom-foolery. We're going to take things in our own hands after this, an' we're not goin' to allow you nor ye'r father nor anybody else to treat us like a bunch of damn curs. Isn't that so, boys?"
"Hear, hear!" came from all. "Give him hell, Jake."
"An' look here, Ben," he continued, "we've all heard what ye done to Jean Benton at Long Wharf. By the great jumpin' punkin! I kin hardly keep me hands off ye'r measley body fer doin' that to a woman, an' her nuthin' but a girl. Now we're goin' to give ye a dose of ye'r own medicine, an' as ye dumped Jean into the harbour, you ye'rself can jist flop around in that frog pond, an' see how it feels. Come on, boys."
As Ben was seized and lifted from the ground, he shrieked and begged for mercy.
"Don't drown me! don't drown me!" he yelled. "For God's sake don't——"
His cries were cut short by the water which closed over his head as he went down on his back beneath the leaves, spawn and slime. He came up like a cork, choking and sputtering, and started to wade to the shore as the water was only up to his arm-pits. But as he attempted to scramble out, he was pushed back and forced to stand in his wretched plight for several minutes. At length he was allowed to leave the pond, and with teeth chattering with cold and fear, he was told to dress himself as quickly as possible.