e. As they
reached the door, they saw a scuffle going on upon the sidewalk. A
well-dressed man was being beaten and kicked by a few rough fellows,
and the crowd was looking on with silent interest. Farnham sprang
forward and seized one of the assailants by the collar; Bolty pulled
away another. The man who had been cuffed turned to Kendall, who was
standing by to help where help was needed, and cried, "Take me away
somewhere; they will have my life;" an appeal which only excited the
jeers of the crowd.

"Kendall, take him into my office," said Farnham, which was done in an
instant, Farnham and Bolty following. A rush was made,--not very
vicious, however,--and the three men got safely inside with their
prize, and bolted the door. A few kicks and blows shook the door, but
there was no movement to break it down; and the rescued man, when he
found himself in safety, walked up to a mirror there was in the room
and looked earnestly at his face. It was a little bruised and bloody,
and dirty with mud, but not seriously injured.

He turned to his rescuers with an air more of condescension than
gratitude. "Gentlemen, I owe you my thanks, although I should have got
the better of those scoundrels in a moment. Can you assist me in
identifying them?"

"Oh! it is Mayor Quinlin, I believe," said Farnham, recognizing that
functionary more by his voice than by his rumpled visage. "No, I do not
know who they were. What was the occasion of this assault?"

"A most cowardly and infamous outrage, sir," said the Mayor. "I was
walking along the sidewalk to me home, and I came upon this gang of
ruffians at your door. Impatient at being delayed,--for my time is much
occupied,--I rebuked them for being in me way. One of them turned to me
and insolently inquired, 'Do you own this street, or have you just got
a lien on it?' which unendurable insult was greeted with a loud laugh
from the other ruffians. I called them by some properly severe name,
and raised me cane to force a passage,--and the rest you know. Now,
gentlemen, is there anything I can do?"

Farnham did not scruple to strike while the iron was hot. He said:
"Yes, there is one thing your Honor may do, not so much for us as for
the cause of order and good government, violated to-night in your own
person. Knowing the insufficiency of the means at your disposal, a few
of us propose to raise a subsidiary night-patrol for the protection of
life and property during the present excitement.