ow," he shouted, and in another minute he
would have been over; but Uncle Dick felt it was time for stronger
measures than tapping hands, and he let his stick come down with such a
sharp rap on the great coarse head that it disappeared directly, and a
yelling chorus was succeeded by another shower of stones.

We went into shelter in the doorway, with Piter playing the part of
sentry in front, the dog walking up and down looking at the top of the
wall growling as he went, and now and then opening and shutting his
teeth with a loud snap like a trap.

On the other side of the wall we could hear the talking of the men,
quite a little crowd having apparently assembled, and being harangued by
one of their party.

"So it makes you think of Canonbury, does it, Bob?" said Uncle Jack.

"Well, yes," said my uncle.

"It makes me feel angry," said Uncle Jack, "and as if the more these
scoundrels are obstinate and interfere with me, the more determined I
shall grow."

"We must call in the help of the police," said Uncle Dick.

"And they will be watched away," said Uncle Jack. "No, we must depend
upon ourselves, and I dare say we can win. What's that?"

I listened, and said that I did not hear anything.

"I did," said Uncle Jack. "It was the tap made by a ladder that has
been reared against a house."

I made the light play against the top of the wall and along it from end
to end.

Then Uncle Jack took it and examined the top, but nothing was visible
and saying it was fancy he handed the lantern to me, when all at once
there was a double thud as of two people leaping down from the wall; and
as I turned the light in the direction from which the sounds came there
was our squinting enemy, and directly behind him a great rough fellow,
both armed with sticks and charging down upon us where we stood.

I heard my uncles draw a long breath as if preparing for the fight.
Then they let their sticks fall to their sides, and a simultaneous roar
of laughter burst forth.

It did not take a minute, and the various little changes followed each
other so quickly that I was confused and puzzled.

One moment I felt a curious shrinking as I saw the faces of two savage
men rushing at us to drive us out of the place; the next I was looking
at their backs as they ran along the yard.

For no sooner did Piter see them than he made a dash at their legs,
growling like some fierce wild beast, and showing his teeth to such good
effect that the