Look, the troopers!

Sure enough, far off across the level country leading down to Yarraman, a
small body of mounted police could be seen riding at a canter towards
Waddy, their swords and cap-peaks glittering in the sun. The men stared
in the direction pointed by Dick in silence, wondering what this
development might mean. Devoy was the first to move. Gripping Dick, he
lifted him from the logs.

'Run, run, ye bla'gard!' he said. 'Fetch yer school football.'

Then as Dick hastened away Devoy took a commanding position on the
barricade.

'Hear me, all of yez,' he cried. 'Down wid yer sticks, every divil of
yez! You Cow Flat min, too, down wid 'em! Look it here--the troopers is
comin'. Shine have infor-rmed on us in Yarraman. Moind, now, this is jist
a bit of divarsion we've been havin'.'

The Waddy men had dropped their weapons, so also had most of their foes,
and all gathered closer about Devoy.

'T'row away thim shticks,' he yelled. 'D'ye want tin years fer riot, an'
murther, an' dish turbin' the peace? Look peaceable, an' frindly, an'
lovin', if it's in yez so to do. Moran, ye sulky haythen, wud ye be
hangin' the lot av us? Shmile 'r I'll black the other oye of ye! Shmile,
ye hi-potomus!

At this instant the line of troopers rode in between the parties, with a
clattering of scabbard and chain. The sergeant drew his foaming bay up
sharp and confronted Devoy.

'What is the meaning of this, my man?' he demanded.

'Meanin' which, sor?' Devoy cocked a black and swollen eye at the
officer, and smiled innocently over a lacerated chin.

'Meaning this.' The trooper waved a white glove over the congregation.

'Sure, it's a bit of a game only--a bit of a friendly game o' football,
as ye may see wid the own eyes of ye.'

Dick's football had just bounced in between the opposing bodies. The
officer ran an eye over the crowd, noting the bloodstains.

'You play football in a funny way at Waddy,' he said.

'We play it wid enthusiasm.'

'Enthusiasm! I should say you played it with shillelahs. Do you always
get cracked skulls and black eyes when you play football?'

'It's our pleasant way, sor.'

'Is it? Well, how the devil do you play football? What is the meaning of
this pile of logs?'

'Meaning the fines, sergeant? It's this way: we of Waddy stands on this
side, an' thim of Cow Flat forninst us on the other side, an' we kicks it
over t' thim, an' they kicks it back to ourselves, an', sure, the side
what kicks