from the
cries around her, and redoubled her cruel blows.

One half-smothered moan escaped the little boy's lips as she swung him
off his feet, and flung him down on the pavement.

Then Jack and I could stand it no longer.

"Let the child alone!" cried Jack, at the top of his voice.

I shall never forget the sudden weird hush which followed that
unexpected sound. The woman released her grasp of her victim as if she
had been shot, and the crowd, with a shout on their lips, stopped short
in amazement.

"Quick, Fred!" cried Jack, flying past me.

He dashed straight to where the little boy lay, swept him up in his
arms, and then, with me close at his heels, was rushing straight for the
outlet of the court, which, thank Heaven! was there, close at hand.
Next moment we were standing in the street which led to Beadle Square.

It all took less time to accomplish than it takes to write, and once out
of that awful court we could hardly tell whether we were awake or
dreaming.

The boy, however, in Jack's arms settled that question.

"Come on, quick!" said Smith, starting to run again. "They'll be out
after us."

We hurried on until we were in Beadle Square.

"What's to be done?" I asked.

"We must take him in with us," said Jack. "Look at the state he's in."

I did look. The little fellow, who seemed about eight years old, was
either stunned by his last blow or had fainted. His face, save where
the blood trickled down, was deadly pale, and as his head with its shock
of black hair lay back on Jack's arm, it seemed as if he could not look
in worse plight were he dead.

"We must take him with us," said Jack.

"What will Mrs Nash say?" was my inward ejaculation, as we reached the
door.

All the lights were out. We knocked twice, and no one came. Here was a
plight! Locked out at this hour of night, with a half-dead child in our
charge!

"Knock again," said Jack.

I _did_ knock again, a wonderful knock, that must have startled the cats
for a mile round, and this time it called up the spirit we wished for.

There was a flicker of a candle through the keyhole, and a slipshod
footstep in the hall, which gave us great satisfaction. Mrs Nash
opened the door.

At the sight of our burden, the abuse with which she was about to favour
us faded from her lips as she gazed at us in utter amazement.

"Why, what's all this? eh, you two? What's this?" she demanded.

"I'll tell you," said Jack, entering with his