quickened his pace, for a crowd in Cardigan Street generally meant a
fight. Jonah elbowed his way through the ring, and found a young
policeman, new to this beat, struggling with an undersized man with the
face of a ferret. Jonah's first thought was to effect a rescue, as his
practised eye took in the details of the scene. Let them get away from
the light of the street lamp, and with a sudden rush the thing would be
done. He looked round for the Push and remembered that they were
scattered. Then he saw that the captive was a stranger, and decided to
look on quietly and note the policeman's methods for future use.

On finding that he was overmatched in strength, the prisoner had
dropped to the ground, and, with silent, cat-like movements baulked the
policeman's efforts. As Jonah looked on, the constable straightened
his back, wiped the sweat from his face, and then, suddenly desperate,
called on the nearest to help him. The men slipped behind the women,
who laughed in his face. It was his first arrest, and he looked in
astonishment at the grinning, hostile faces, too nervous to use his
strength, harassed by the hatred of the people.

"Take 'im yerself; do yer own dirty work."

"Wot's the poor bloke done?"

"Nuthin', yer may be sure."

"These Johns run a man in, an' swear his life away ter git a stripe on
their sleeve."

"They think they kin knock a man about as they like 'cause 'e's poor."

"They'd find plenty to do if they took the scoundrels that walk the
streets in a top 'at."

"It don't pay. They know which side their bread's buttered, don't yous
fergit."

Chiefly by his own efforts the prisoner had become a disreputable
wreck. Hatless, with torn collar, his clothes covered with the dirt he
was rolling in, ten minutes' struggle with the policeman had
transformed him into a scarecrow.

"If there was any men about, they wouldn't see a decent young man
turned into a criminal under their very eyes," cried a virago, looking
round for a champion.

"If I was a man, I'd..."

She stopped as Sergeant Carmody arrived with a brisk air, and the crowd
fell back, silent before the official who knew every face in the ring.
In an instant the captive was lifted to his feet, his arms were twisted
behind his back till the sinews cracked, and the procession moved off
to the station. When Jonah reached the cottage, he stood irresolute on
the other side of the street. Already regretting his promise, he
turned to