were beaten to the ground. Then the sheer weight of
the mass behind stopped the advance and the conflict became a general
one. In the crowd and confusion it was difficult to distinguish friend
from foe, and this prevented the assailants from making full use of
their stakes, rails, and other implements with which they were armed.
They were, however, getting the best of it, Mr. Dodgson had been knocked
down with a heavy stake and several others were badly hurt, when the
strong bands in the field who had driven back the scattered assailants
there, fell upon the flanks of the main body in the road.

For five minutes the fight was a desperate one, and then, just as
numbers and weapons were telling, there was a shout in the rear, and
fifteen pitmen, headed by Jim Shepherd and armed with pick handles, as
formidable weapons as could be desired in the hands of strong men, fell
upon the rear of the assailants. Yells, shouts, and heavy crashing blows
told the tale to those engaged in front; and at once the assailants
broke and scattered in flight.

"Catch 'em and bring 'em down," Jack shouted; "they shall pay for this
night's work."

Such of the lads as were not disabled started off, and being fleet of
foot, those of the assailants nearest to them had little chance of
escape. Two or three lads together sprung upon one and pulled him down,
and so when the pursuit ended twenty-nine of the assailants had fallen
into their hands. In addition to this a score of them lay or sat by the
road with broken heads and bones, the work of the pitmen's weapons.

Of the lads the greater part had been badly knocked about, and some lay
insensible in the road. The prisoners were brought together, five of the
pitmen with twenty of the lads marched with those able to walk, to the
village, where they shut them up in the school-room. The other pitmen
remained in charge of the wounded of both sides, and the rest of the
party were sent back to Mr. Brook's to fetch the women and girls. Near
the house they met Mr. Brook, accompanied by his two men-servants and
gardener, armed with spades, hurrying forward; and he expressed his
delight at the issue of the conflict, but shook his head at the number
of serious injuries on both sides.

In a shed near the house were a number of hurdles, and twenty of these
were at once sent forward with the men to carry those unable to walk
into the village.

Mrs. Dodgson turned pale as her husband, his face covered with b