"Why not take him there? He doesn't know what a nice place it is for a picnic."
The suggestion was hailed with delight.
"The sand-pit—the sand-pit!" was the cry.
Immediately a rush was made for Paul. It was more than flesh and blood could stand. Paul had kept wonderfully calm and cool up to the moment; but directly they tried to put hands upon him he struck out right and left. With so much vigour did he strike that he might have made his way through the howling, struggling pack, but just at the moment he had got himself free, Mellor, who was one of those who had been knocked to the ground, caught him by the legs and brought him with a crash to the ground.
"On him—on him!" was the cry.
"Back—back! Cowards all!"
At the instant they were about to seize Paul a figure dashed into their midst, scattering the struggling pack to right and left.