rmentors at that moment sprang forward
and disentangled her dress, preventing her from falling from her
palfrey.

"Stand back, you young ruffians!" shouted Mr Harwood to the mob.
"Understand that I am a justice of the peace, and that I will summon you
one and all before the magistrates of the town for this uproar."

The mob of apprentices, seeing the harm which their frolic might have
produced, hung back, many of them taking to their heels, while others
called off the dogs, which they had before been inciting to pursue the
cow, which continued its course through Bridlesmith's Gate, glad to
escape its pursuers.

"I have to thank you, young man, for the service you have rendered my
daughter and me, and should be glad to reward you to the best of my
ability," said Mr Harwood, turning to the youth who was holding
Alethea's bridle whilst she recovered her seat in the saddle. "I must
have these scapegraces brought up for punishment before the magistrates
to-morrow; such proceedings ought not to take place in a well-ordered
town."

The young man thus addressed drew himself up with a somewhat haughty
air, as he replied, "I am glad to have rendered the young lady a
service, sir, and require no reward for doing so; and as for punishing
those fellows, I would rather have the opportunity of drubbing a few of
them with my fists for worrying poor old Dame Pitt's lame cow, than see
them sent to prison for their freak. It may be all very well for them
to bait their cattle when they want tender meat, but they had no
business to treat that poor animal in the way they did; and I told them
so when they began, and promised them I would put a stop to it."

"You are a brave lad," said Mr Harwood, looking at the speaker
approvingly. "May I ask your name?"

"I am called Jack Deane, sir," answered the young man, "at your service.
I belong to Nottingham, and know every one of those apprentice-lads,
and do not wish to bring them into trouble; but I will give the
ringleaders as sound a thrashing as they ever had in their lives before
long, for their conduct this day."

"Well, well! I suppose we must leave you to settle the matter in your
own way," said Mr Harwood; "but if your name is Jack Deane, I conclude
that you are the younger son of my friend Mr Jasper Deane, to whose
house my daughter and I are now bending our way."

"Yes, sir, the house of my father, Mr Deane, is situated to the south
there, on the farther side of the market-p