Instantly Eves shot out his hand, seized the somewhat prominent member in question, and pulled. Nahum sprang from the wall and hit out. Eves nimbly evaded the blow, and for half a minute dodged up and down like the matador at a bull-fight, pursued by the infuriate youth, who became only the more enraged as his clenched fists beat upon empty air. Shouts of laughter broke from the crowd. "Mind yer principles," cried the smith. "Gie un a larruping!" bellowed Mr. Noakes. Templeton looked worried.
At this moment the constable elbowed his way into the arena.
"Good now, gen'l'men," he said; "this be what the law do call a breach of the peace, and I'm not so sure but 'tis time to take 'ee both into custody for obstructing the police in the execution of his duty." He took Nahum's arm. "Come, come, sonny. I be surprised, and you such a man of peace as never was."
"Ay, and he axed the gen'l'man to pull his nose, he did so," said the smith.
"True, he said he'd like to see any one try it," said Coggins. "The gen'l'man only took him at his word—hee, hee!"
Aware now of the pitfall into which he had fallen, Nahum broke away from the constable, plunged through the crowd, and hurried away, followed closely by his father.
"A rare good randy, sir," said the smith to Eves, "but I hope Philemon won't make 'ee pay for it. Howsomever, Nahum's tongue won't wag no more, maybe, and that'll be for the good o' the nation."
"Another ripping day, Bob," said Eves, as he walked home with Templeton. "That idea of yours was splendid."
"I was quite serious," said Templeton.
"You always are, old man. But you don't mean to say you really meant to feel the fellow's bumps?"