The young horseman gaped, as well he might, for this was an audacious thing that the Foxenby schoolboy had done. The square was thick with the yokel's friends, a united rush by whom would speedily have put the intruder out and under.
"Oh, by gum! An' who's thee when tha're at hoöam?" inquired the horseman. "Run away to thee mammy, kid, afoöar tha gets hurt!"
Great laughter rewarded this outburst of rural wit. But Dick's reply, eagerly awaited, was not in words. Catching hold of the yokel's neckcloth he jerked him smartly back, thereby releasing Fluffy Jim from that unhappy youth's painful position. In an instant there was angry uproar.
"Hit 'im in t'mooth, Juddy! Clart 'im in t'lug, lad! Rub 'is cheeky nose in t'snow, Juddy, boy!"
Thus urged on all sides to action, "Juddy" bunched together a fist of terrifying size, swung it round a few times to emphasize its power, and then lifted it carefully to the level of Dick's eyes.
"See that?" he said. "It's what tha're goin' to get for interferin' wi' the likes o' me. Ah've gi'en thee fair warnin', so look art!"
"SEE THAT?" HE SAID
He drew back his arm to strike, and Dick, secretly somewhat dismayed by the size of the fist he had been invited to inspect, got ready to defend himself. Then it was that the landlord of the "Anvil Inn", an old quartermaster-sergeant, took a hand in the game.