and collar some witnesses, do you hear; and tell the
hangman he'll be wanted in half an hour."

This promise of judicial dispatch was not consoling to the prisoner, who
had grave doubts as to the impartiality of the tribunal before which he
was to be arraigned. He wondered if Ashby, or D'Arcy, or any of his
friends would appear among the witnesses.

The trial took place in the room jointly owned by Percy, Ramshaw,
Cottle, and Lickford. A chair was planted on the bed for the
accommodation of the judge. The fender was brought out in front of the
chest of drawers for a witness-box; while Rix minimus, who officiated as
jury, sat on a footstool on the table.

As for the prisoner, a dock was provided for him in the form of a wash-
stand, out of which the basin had been removed to make room for his
uneasy person in the vacant hole.

"Now, you chaps," said Percy, who had naturally appointed himself, in
addition to his other offices, "usher of the court", "no larks. Shut
up. This is a big job. This young cad cheated at Elections."

Here the door opened, and Dangle looked in.

"What on earth is all this row?" he said.

"A trial. I say, Dangle, will you be judge? It's a Classic kid that
cheated at Elections."

"No, really, I didn't," said Fisher, painfully aware that so far, the
trial was going against him.

Dangle, who fancied something might come of this, was condescending
enough to say he didn't mind playing at judge, if they liked. Whereat,
amid cheers, he was voted to the chair on the bed, where he sat rather
precariously, and ordered silence in the court.

"Who is the prisoner?"

"Go on, kid, tell 'em your name," said Percy, encouragingly.

"Fisher minor--really I didn't do anything," said the prisoner.

"What's the charge?" said the judge.

"You see, it's this way," said Percy, forgetting to go inside the
fender--"Bam, and Cot, and Lick and I were having a ripping eight-handed
mill in here the other day--"

The prisoner thought over all his crimes, and could recall nothing that
was even remotely connected with an eight-handed mill.

"Cot and Lick had got gloves with no horse-hair in them, you know, so
they lammed it pretty hard; but Ram and I were just scrunching them
up--"

"Crams! You never got near us. My nose wasn't hit once," said Cottle.

"No; but we had you in the ribs."

"Under the belt," ejaculated Lickford.

"No, it wasn't--I say, Dangle," said the witness, "it was just on his