ss they
had seen grouped at the lower part, but fully half were workmen in their
shirt sleeves, many of them with faces blackened by their occupation,
while a smaller portion was well-dressed, and kept on moving about and
talking earnestly to the people around.

"Too late," said Andrew, half to himself.

"Yes; we shall have to go round and reach the street farther along,"
said Frank quietly. "We don't want to push through there."

"But it's here I want to see my friend."

"Does he live in this place?"

"No; but he is sure to be there--in that house."

The lad nodded at a goodly sized mansion about half-way down the court;
and even from where they stood they could make out that the place was
crowded, and that something exciting was going on, the crowd in the
court outside being evidently listeners, trying to catch what was said
within, the murmurs of which reached the two lads' ears.

All at once there was a loud outburst of cheering, shouting, and
clapping of hands, as if at the conclusion of a speech; and this was
responded to by a roar of yells, hoots, and derisive cries from the
court.

"Oh! too late--too late," muttered Andrew. "Silence, you miserable
crew!"

But where heard his words passed unnoticed, those around evidently
taking them as being addressed to the people in the great tavern.

"Let's get away--quickly, while we can," said Frank, with his lips close
to his companion's ear; but the lad shook him off angrily, and then
uttered a cry of rage, for at that moment there was a loud crash and
splintering of glass, the mob in the court, evidently under the
direction of the well-dressed men, hurling stones, decayed vegetables,
and rubbish of all kinds in at the windows of the tavern.

This was responded to by shouts of defiance and a rain of pots, glasses,
and pails of water; and even the pails themselves were hurled down upon
the heads of the people in the court, while a long oaken settle which
came clattering down fell crosswise, the end coming within a few inches
of a man's head.

"Oh, do let's go!" Frank very naturally said, gripping Andrew's arm
hard.

But the lad seemed to have suddenly gone crazy with excitement, shouting
and gesticulating with the rest, directing his words, which sounded like
menaces, at the people crowding at the window of the house.

At this the mob cheered, and, as if in answer to his orders, made a rush
for the door, surging in, armed for the most part with sticks,