n't do," said Dominick, issuing from his room in the palace, and
meeting the doctor.

"I had just come to the same conclusion," said the latter, "and was
about to consult you as to what we should do."

"Collect some of our best men and put a stop to it," returned Dominick;
"but here comes the prime minister--roused, no doubt, as we have been.
What say you, Joe; shall we attempt to quell them?"

"Well, master, that depends. There's a braw lot on 'em, an' if they
beant far gone, d'ee see, they might gie us a deal o' trouble. If they
_be_ far gone I'd advise ye to let 'em alone; the drink'll quell 'em
soon enough. Arter that we'll know what to do."

Just as he spoke a woman was seen rushing frantically towards them. It
was little Mrs Nobbs. Poor thing! All her wonted merriment had fled
from her comely face, and been supplanted by a look of horror.

"O sirs!" she cried, clasping her hands, and gasping as she spoke,
"come, come quick, my John has falled an' broke his pledge, an' he's
goin' to murder some of 'em. I _know_ he'll do it; he's got hold o' the
fore-hammer. Oh! come quick!"

They required no urging. Running down to the scene of the orgies, they
found that the blacksmith, who had hitherto been considered--and really
was--one of the quietest men of the party, was now among the drunkards.
He stood in the midst of the rioters, his large frame swaying to and
fro, while he held the ponderous fore-hammer threateningly in his hands,
and insanity gleamed in his eyes as he glared fiercely at Jabez Jenkins.

On Jabez the liquor had a different effect, his temperament being
totally different. He was a rather phlegmatic man, and, having drunk
enough to have driven two men like the blacksmith raving mad, he only
stood before him with a dull heavy look of stupidity, mingled with an
idiotic sneer of defiance.

"Fiend!" shouted Nobbs, gnashing his teeth, "you have got me to do it,
and now I'll smash in your thick skull--I'll--"

He stopped abruptly for a moment. Joe Binney came up behind and gently
laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Come, John, you ain't agoin' to do it. You knows you're not."

The quiet tone, the gentle yet fearless look, and, above all, the
sensible, kindly expression on his friend's countenance, effectually
subdued the blacksmith for a few seconds, but the fury soon returned,
though the channel in which it flowed was changed, for Jabez was
forgotten, having slunk away.

"Ha!" he shouted, gr