Part 8 (2/2)
”No, sir.”
”Then hold your tongue. Any witnesses, constable?”
”No, Sir Thomas.”
”Humph! Well, really, Mr Dempster, from what I know of human nature, it seems to me that these lads have both spoken the truth.”
”Incorrigible young scoundrels, Sir Thomas.”
”No, no, no! Excuse me, I think not. A boy is only a very young man, and there is a great responsibility in properly managing them. The marks upon these lads show that they have had a very cruel attack made upon them by somebody. You confessed that you struck one of them.
Well, I am not surprised, sir, that one took the other's part. I say this, not as a magistrate, but as a man. You have to my mind, sir, certainly been in the wrong--so have they, for they had their remedy if they were ill-used by applying to a magistrate. So understand this, boys--I do not consider you have done right, though I must own that you had great provocation.”
”Then am I to understand, sir,” began Mr Dempster, in a very different tone of voice to that which he had before used, ”that you are not going to punish these young scoundrels?”
”Have the goodness to recollect where you are, sir,” said the old alderman sternly. ”Yes, sir, I dismiss the case.”
”Then a more contemptible mockery of justice,” roared Mr Dempster, ”I never saw.”
”Exactly,” said the old alderman, quietly; ”your words, Mr Dempster, quite endorse my opinion. You are a man of ungovernable temper, and not fit to have charge of boys.”
”Then--”
”That will do, sir.--The next case.”
”I should like to shake hands with that old chap,” whispered Esau; and then aloud, as he tossed his cap in the air, ”Hooray!”
There was a roar of laughter in the court, and the old alderman turned very fiercely upon Esau, and shook his head at him, but I half fancy I saw him smile, as he turned to a gentleman at his side.
Then in the midst of a good deal of bustle in the court, and the calling of people's names, the policeman hurried us both away, and soon after stood shaking hands with us both.
”You've both come off splendid, my lads,” he said, ”and I'm glad of it.
Old Sir Thomas saw through Master Dempster at once. I know him; he's a bad 'un--regular bully. One of his men--Dingle, isn't his name?--has often told me about him.”
”Ah, you don't know half,” said Esau.
”Quite enough, anyhow,” said the constable, clapping Esau on the shoulder; ”and you take my advice, don't you go back to him.”
”No,” said Esau; ”he wouldn't have us if we wanted.”
”What are you going to do, then?”
”Join the Royal Artillery,” said Esau, importantly.
”Join the Royal Nonsense, boy!” said the big, bluff constable. ”Better be a p.c. than that. Plenty of gents in the city want clerks.”
”Then,” said Esau, ”they shan't have me.”
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