and as if
to carry the place by assault.

"I can't go and leave him," thought Frank; and directly after--as he
looked up the court toward the end by which they had entered, and down
from which they had been borne until they were nearly opposite the
house--"if I wanted to," he muttered, as he saw how they were wedged in
and swayed here and there by the crowd.

The noise increased, the crowd beginning to cheer loudly, as crowds will
when excited by the chance to commit mischief, and Frank remained
ignorant of the reasons which impelled them on, as he watched the
exciting scene. The sound of blows, yells of defiance, and the angry,
increasing roar of those contending within the house, set his heart
beating wildly. For a few minutes, when he found himself shut in by the
people around, a feeling of dread came over him, mingled with despair at
his helplessness, and he would have given anything to be able to escape
from his position; but as he saw man after man come stumbling out
bruised and bleeding, and heard the cries of rage uttered by those who
hemmed him in, the feeling of fear gave place to indignation, and this
was soon followed by an angry desire to help those who, amidst the
cheers of their fellows, pressed forward to take the place of those who
were beaten back.

It was at this moment that he saw two well-dressed men waving swords
above their heads, and, white now with rage, Andrew turned to him.

"The cowards--the dogs!" he whispered. "Frank lad, you will be man
enough to help?"

"Yes, yes," panted the boy huskily, with a sensation akin to that which
he had felt when hurt in his last school fight, when, reckless from
pain, he had dashed at a tyrannical fellow-pupil who was planting blow
after blow upon him almost as he pleased.

"Draw your sword then, and follow me."

Frank made a struggle to wrench himself free, but it was in vain.

"I can't!" he panted. "My arms are pinned down to my side."

"So are mine," groaned Andrew. "I can hardly breathe."

A furious yell of rage arose from fifty throats, and the two lads saw
the attacking party come tumbling one over the other out of the tavern,
driven back by the defenders, who charged bravely out after them, armed
with stick and sword; and almost before the two lads could realise their
position they found themselves being carried along in the human stream
well out of reach of the blows being showered down by the rallying party
from the house, who litera