Two or three of his companions said almost the same, and surrounded Mr. Wesley to protect him. Then four or five rough men set upon them, and tried to drag Mr. Wesley away; but a butcher, who was a little further off, shouted, "Shame! shame!" and pulled them back one after another. Some one else shouted, "For shame! For shame! let the good man go!"
Then, just as if they had been struck by magic, all the people drew back right and left, and Mr. Wesley was carried safely through.
But the danger was not quite over even yet. On the bridge which they had to cross, the mob assembled again; but Mr. Wesley's protectors took him across a mill-dam and then through some fields, and at last brought him safe into Wednesbury, with no other damage than a torn coat and a little skin scraped off one of his hands.
CHAPTER XXVII.
Mr. Wesley's story of the Wednesbury riot.—How he felt.—The right pocket.—Beautiful hair.—The prize-fighter a good protector.—A brick, a stone, and two hard blows.—Daniel vi. 22.