ing, as I stared at him
wildly.

The mist had cleared away now, and I stood listening to him as he went
on speaking, in a very quiet subdued way, about the troubles he had had
with the two defendants--boys whom he had taken into his service out of
kindness.

"Yes, yes, yes, Mr Dempster," said the old gentleman testily; "but this
isn't a sale of house property. There's a very long charge-sheet. You
have given these two lads into custody on a charge of assault. Now,
shortly, please, how did it happen?"

"The fact is, your worship," said Mr Dempster, "I have had much trouble
with both of them. The boy Dean is idle in the extreme, while Gordon is
a lad of vile and passionate temper."

"Well, sir--well, sir?"

"I had occasion to speak to them yesterday about idling in my absence,
the consequence being that a great many mistakes were made."

"Allus careful as I could be," said Esau, in an ill-used tone.

"Silence, sir! How dare you?" cried the old gentleman. "You shall be
heard presently. Now, Mr Dempster, please go on."

"I was angry, Sir Thomas, and I scolded them both severely, when to my
utter surprise--stop, I will be perfectly accurate--things had come to
such a pass that I had threatened them with dismissal--when in a fit of
passion Dean struck my new hat from a chair on which it was laid, jumped
upon it, and crushed it."

"Oh, what a whopper!" cried Esau, excitedly. "Will you be silent, sir?"
cried the old gentleman, tapping the desk in front of him with his
knuckles.

"Here is the hat, Sir Thomas," said Mr Dempster, and stooping down he
held up his crushed and beaten head-covering in corroboration of his
words, when a perfect roar of laughter ran round the court, and I saw
the old gentleman lift his glasses and smile.

"Well, Mr Dempster, well?" he said.

"Then, Sir Thomas, then, to my utter astonishment, evidently by
collusion, Gordon seized my Malacca cane, and the boy Dean shouted to
him to come on now, and they made a combined attack upon me, breaking
off the handle of my cane, inflicting the injuries you see, and but for
my energetic defence I believe they would have robbed me and gone off.
Fortunately I was able to call for the police, and give them into
custody."

"Well, of all--" began Esau; but the old alderman turned upon him
sharply.

"I shall commit you, sir, for contempt of court," he cried.

"But he is telling such--"

"Silence, sir!"

"Quiet, you young donkey," whispered