At length the little fellow, in leaping backward, stumbled over a chair and fell to the floor.
Before he could rise to his feet the man had hold of his collar, and was brandishing his whip high in air.
“I’ll teach you to play your pranks on[{43}] me,” he shouted, bringing the whip down upon the boy’s shrinking form.
The crowd seemed to enjoy the scene hugely, but it was not in the nature of Nick Carter to stand by and see the boy cruelly beaten.
He was about to interfere when the boy succeeded in releasing himself from the man’s hold, and sprang sobbing behind the detective for protection.
The brute made another dash at him, but the detective’s sturdy frame barred the way.
“My deah fellah,” he said, “don’t hurt the boy. What has he done?”
“He’s done enough, you confounded dude. Stand out of the way!”
“If you touch the boy again,” drawled Nick, “I shall strike you.”
The man raised the whip as though about to give the detective a lash in the face.