Then a voice was heard shouting:
"The watch! the watch! or some fellows with swords!"
Immediately the whole band broke up and rushed helter-skelter in
all directions. Not that the bullies feared the watch one whit. The
watchmen were mostly poor, old, worn-out men, who could do little
or nothing to impose order upon these young braggarts. Indeed, they
were so often maltreated themselves, that they just as often as not
kept carefully away when cries were raised for help. But, having
had their fun, the roisterers were ready to disperse themselves;
for some of the citizens would rise in a white heat of rage, and
take law into their own hands, in which case it happened that the
disturbers of the peace came off second best. One of them had seen
Tom's tall figure and the sword in his hand as he ran beneath a
lamp, and had fancied that some more determined rescue than that
afforded by the watch was to be given. So the band dispersed
shouting and hooting; and Tom and Cale found them scattered ere
they came up to them.
"But where is the woman?" asked Tom, looking round; "they have not
surely carried her off?"
"Oh no--only sent her rolling down the hill in a barrel!" panted
Cale; "it is a favourite pastime with the youths of London town.
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