"Now—now!" Two or three swifter than the others, darted for the chair, but Joel was not in it. On the other side of it, looking at them, his hands out of his pockets, he stood, saying, "What do you want?"
"Oh, come, Pepper, it's no use," said a tall fellow, wiry and agile, "too many against you in this little call. Come along," and he advanced on Joel.
"You come along yourself, Dobbs," said Joel pleasantly, and holding up a fist that looked hard to begin with, "and you'll get this; that's all."
[Illustration: "You come along yourself, Dobbs," said Joel pleasantly.]
"Come on, fellows!" Dobbs looked back and winked to the others. "Now!" there was a shoulder-to-shoulder rush; a wild tangle of arms, followed by a wilder tangle of legs, and Joel was through the ranks, his black eyes blazing, and tossing his black hair from his forehead.
"Do you want some more?" he cried, flirting his fists in the air, "or will you leave my room?"
"Lock the door!" "Get up, Bingley," and, "Stop your roaring." "No, we'll give it to you now, and no mistake." "If you won't come quietly, you shall some way, Deacon."
These were some of the smothered cries.
"Now!" and there was another blind rush; this time, over Bingley, who didn't heed the invitation to get up.
Joel, watching his chance to reach the door, had no time before they were on him, and he heard the key click in the lock.