“Well, you needn’t put on any of your high and mighty airs with me,” exclaimed the other, threateningly. “This gentleman is as much my friend as he is yours, and I’m going to prove it by taking him inside again. Come back in, old pard,” he added, grasping Wolfe’s other arm as he stood balancing himself unsteadily between the two.
“No,” said Breeze, decidedly, “he sha’n’t go back;” and with this he endeavored to pull Wolfe through the still open door-way into the street.
Here the door-keeper, who had watched the scene impatiently, interfered, and saying, “I can’t have any disturbance here, gentlemen; you’ll have to settle this business outside,” assisted Breeze to such purpose that the next moment all three were in the street, and the door was closed behind them.
This excited Wolfe’s anger so that he began to kick the door, at the same time screaming to be let in.
“Oh, come, this won’t do!” exclaimed Wolfe’s companion. “This racket’ll bring the police down on us in no time. You see now what a fix you’ve got us into, don’t yer?” he asked, turning to Breeze.
“I see what a fix you’ve got this poor fellow into by bringing him to such a place,” replied the latter, indignantly, “and I hope you feel as ashamed of yourself as you ought to be.”
“None of your preaching!” cried the other, fiercely, “or you and I’ll have a bigger score to settle than we’ve got now. Take hold of him, can’t you? and let’s get away from here before we get nabbed.”
Together they succeeded in pulling Wolfe from the door, and in directing his unsteady steps down the street in the direction of the wharf.
While Breeze was wondering what on earth he should do with his friend in this wretched condition, Wolfe’s intoxication assumed a new form, and he began to yell and sing at the top of his voice.
“Stop that noise, or I’ll take you all in,” shouted a gruff voice behind them.