"That's a fair offer," Joe said, eagerly. "I'm willing to go along peaceably; but I don't want to walk with a revolver at my head, as if I was too dangerous to be in a town with my hands behind my back."
"Knock the boy down!"
"Shoot him!"
"Don't let such an outrage be committed in our town!"
"Will you let a cub like that play the part of desperado in a quiet village?"
These and similar shouts were heard as the throng drew nearer Jet, who now understood that Joe's friends must be making the row for the purpose of releasing the prisoner, and he looked around in vain for a friendly face.
"Will no one help me do my duty?" he cried.
"We'll take the man to the magistrate decently," some one replied.
"That simply means that a few of you are determined on a rescue."
He would have said more; but Joe's pals, fearing the influence his words might have upon the crowd, drowned his voice by angry shouts.