the policeman. "Hsh!"

"Hm! Mr Dempster, Mr Dempster," said the old gentleman, "this is a
police court, not an auctioneer's rostrum."

"I beg your pardon, Sir Thomas," said Mr Dempster, with dignity.

"You are sworn, sir, and I wished to remind you that this is not a
rostrum. You auctioneers are licenced gentlemen, and you do exaggerate
a little sometimes. Are you not doing so now?"

"Look at my face, Sir Thomas. My arm is terribly strained."

"Um--yes, but it does not sound reasonable to me, as an old man of the
world who has had much to do with boys."

"I have stated my case, Sir Thomas," said Mr Dempster in an ill-used
tone.

"Are you sure that you did not use the cane first yourself?"

"I--I will not swear I did not, Sir Thomas. I was very angry."

"Hah! yes," said the old gentleman, nodding his head. "Now, boy, speak
the truth. This is a very serious business; what have you to say?"

"Got hold of me, sir, and was going to hit me, and we wrestled, and the
hat was knocked over, and the stick, and he trod on his 'at, sir, and I
sings out to Mayne Gordon--this is him, sir--to take the stick away, but
he got it, sir, and I calls out to Gordon not to let him thrash me."

"Gently, gently," cried the old gentleman, holding up his hands, for
Esau's words came pouring out in a breathless way, and every one was
laughing.

"No, sir, not a bit gently; 'ard, sir, awful! and I can show the marks,
and Gordon--that's him, sir--says he'd no business to 'it his mate, and
he 'it him, and then Gordon got hold of the cane and held on, and Mr
Dempster, he got it away again, and cut him across the ear, sir, and it
bled pints, and 'it him again, and then I went at him and held him, and
Gordon got the cane away and 'it 'im, sir, and then we ran away, and the
police took us and locked us up, and that's all."

"And enough too," said Sir Thomas good-humouredly. "There, hold your
tongue.--Now, you, sir, what have you to say?--the same as your
companion?"

"I'm very sorry, sir," I said huskily; and then a feeling of indignation
seemed to give me strength, and I continued, "What Esau Dean says is all
true. Mr Dempster has behaved cruelly to us, and I could not stand
still and see him beat Esau. I only tried to hold the stick so that he
should not strike him, and then he hit me here, and here, and then I
think I got hold of it, and--I don't remember any more, sir. I'm very
sorry now."

"I ain't," said Esau defiantly.