The door was kicked open at that moment, and a couple of the
rough-looking fellows I had seen at the entrance to the court stood half
inside, leaning against the door-posts and looking stolidly on.
I was about to appeal to them for help, but my instinct told me that
such an application would be in vain, while their first words told me
how right I was.
"Give it him, Ned. What's he a-doin' here?" said one.
"See if he's got any tin," said the other.
"Ah! make him pay up," said the first.
"'Ow much have yer got, eh?" said my captor, giving me a shake, which
was the signal for the boy to kick at me again with all his might.
"Gahn, will yer," cried the man, "or I'll wrap that rope's end round
yer."
The woman just then made a step forward and struck at the boy, who
dodged the blow, and retreated to the far end of the room, the woman
shrinking away too as the man growled: "Let him alone; will yer?"
I seized the opportunity to wrench myself partly away, and to catch hold
of the rope, which the man had now beneath one of his feet.
"Ah, would yer!" he shouted, tearing the rope away from me. "Comes up
here, mates, bold as brass, and says it's his'n."
I felt more enraged and mortified now than alarmed, and I cried out: "It is our rope, and that boy stole it; and I'll tell the police."
"Oh! yer will, will yer?" cried my captor. "We'll see about that.
Here, what money have yer got?"
"I've only enough for my breakfast," I cried defiantly. "Give me my
rope and let me go."
"Oh yes, I'll let yer go," he cried, as I wrestled to get away, fighting
with all my might, and striving to reach the rope at the same moment.
"Look out, Ned," said one of the men at the door, grinning. "He'll be
too much for yer;" and the other uttered a hoarse laugh.
"Ah, that he will!" cried the big fellow, letting me get hold of the
rope, and, tightening his grasp upon my collar, he kicked my legs from
under me, so that I fell heavily half across the coil, while he went
down on one knee and held me panting and quivering there, perfectly
helpless.
The boy made another dart forward, and I saw the woman catch at him by
the head, but his shortly-cropped hair glided through her hands, and he
would have reached me had not the man kicked out at him and made him
stop suddenly and watch for another chance.
"Who's got a knife?" growled the man now savagely as he turned towards
the two fellows at the door; "I'll soon show him what it is to come here
a-wanting to steal our cart-ropes. Chuck that there knife here."