.

I believe that many, angry as they had been, would have turned away at
that moment, but some drunken privateers were among the mob, and one of
them came and pushed me savagely. I caught the man up and lifted him
above my head and threw him from me. This angered the privateers
greatly, and they smashed down the door while others swore great oaths
at me.

"What will em do weth the Canorum?" I heard the people cry, and then
there was a silence again. I think they were subdued, as I was subdued,
by the sound of a man's voice.

"Here I am," I heard Mr. Wesley say, "which of you has anything to say
to me? To whom have I done wrong? To you, to you?"

At this the people seemed eager beyond measure to catch sight of him,
and they shouted, "Come out, come out. Lev us zee 'ee."

Others again shouted, "Ef we can git to un, we'll kill un. We doan't
want no Canorums, we doan't want no new sort ov religion. We like our
beer and wrastlin', we do."

"Look," I shouted, "give every man fair play. Let him speak for himself.
If he has anything to tell us, let him tell it."

"Iss, iss," shouted the crowd; "lev un spaik."

With that I heard the same voice speaking which I had heard inside the
house, only this time it was louder. It was not panic-stricken, it was
perfectly calm and fearless. It was strangely sweet, too, and it
reached, I should think, to the very outskirts of the crowd. A strange
hush fell upon the people as they heard it. It was like a stormy sea
which had suddenly become calm.

"Neighbours and countrymen," said the voice, "do you desire me to
speak?"

"No, no," shouted some; "put un in stocks, throw un in the say."

Then I spoke again. "Fair play, Cornishmen," I said, "give the stranger
fair play, let him speak."

"Iss, iss," cried the larger part of the crowd; "he sh'll 'ave fair
play, he sh'll spaik."

With that a gangway was made, and then I turned and saw the man who had
created such a great commotion in the country come bareheaded into the
middle of the street, while the surging crowd hustled each other, some
eager to do him injury, but many more anxious to hear what he had to
say.

As for myself, I was silent, for the sight of him impressed me greatly.

CHAPTER XIV

I AM TAKEN PRISONER, AND AFTERWARD EXPERIENCE MANY STRANGE THINGS--I AT
LENGTH FIND MYSELF IN A DUNGEON

There was nothing at first sight very striking about Mr. John Wesley's
appearance. He was, I thought, rather undersize