Stinky, with a haphazard blow, had given Chook the dreaded knock-out, a jolt beside the chin that, in the expressive phrase, "sent him to sleep".
But now the police came up, glad of this chance to show their authority and order the people about.

The crowd melted.
Chook's mates had pulled him into a sitting position, when, to Pinkey's delight, he opened his eyes and spat out a mouthful of blood.
"W'ere the 'ell am I ?" he muttered, like a man awaking from a dream.
"What's this?
You've been fighting," said the policeman.
"Me?
No fear," growled Chook.

"I was walkin' along, quiet as a lamb, when a bloke come up an' landed me on the jaw." "Well, who was he ?" asked the policeman.
"I dunno.

I never set eyes on 'im before," said Chook, lying without hesitation to their common enemy, the police.
The policeman looked hard at him, and then cried roughly, "Get out of this, or I'll lock you up." Chook's mates helped him to his feet, and he staggered away like a drunken man.

Suddenly he became aware that someone was crying softly near him, and, turning his head, found that it was Pinkey, who was holding his arm and guiding his steps.