an officer of the House of
Commons, for whose accommodation a couple of troopers had hastily
dismounted. The Riot Act was read, but not a man stirred.

In the first rank of the insurgents, Barnaby and Hugh stood side by
side. Somebody had thrust into Barnaby's hands when he came out into the
street, his precious flag; which, being now rolled up and tied round
the pole, looked like a giant quarter-staff as he grasped it firmly and
stood upon his guard. If ever man believed with his whole heart and soul
that he was engaged in a just cause, and that he was bound to stand by
his leader to the last, poor Barnaby believed it of himself and Lord
George Gordon.

After an ineffectual attempt to make himself heard, the magistrate gave
the word and the Horse Guards came riding in among the crowd. But, even
then, he galloped here and there, exhorting the people to disperse; and,
although heavy stones were thrown at the men, and some were desperately
cut and bruised, they had no orders but to make prisoners of such of the
rioters as were the most active, and to drive the people back with the
flat of their sabres. As the horses came in among them, the throng gave
way at many points, and the Guards, following up their advantage, were
rapidly clearing the ground, when two or three of the foremost, who were
in a manner cut off from the rest by the people closing round them, made
straight towards Barnaby and Hugh, who had no doubt been pointed out as
the two men who dropped into the lobby: laying about them now with some
effect, and inflicting on the more turbulent of their opponents, a few
slight flesh wounds, under the influence of which a man dropped,
here and there, into the arms of his fellows, amid much groaning and
confusion.

At the sight of gashed and bloody faces, seen for a moment in the crowd,
then hidden by the press around them, Barnaby turned pale and sick. But
he stood his ground, and grasping his pole more firmly yet, kept his
eye fixed upon the nearest soldier--nodding his head meanwhile, as Hugh,
with a scowling visage, whispered in his ear.

The soldier came spurring on, making his horse rear as the people
pressed about him, cutting at the hands of those who would have grasped
his rein and forced his charger back, and waving to his comrades to
follow--and still Barnaby, without retreating an inch, waited for his
coming. Some called to him to fly, and some were in the very act of
closing round him, to prevent his b