'Let that alone, you fool,' I growled in his ear.
'Sure, mister,' he said, and the next second we were in the thick of it.
It was like so many street fights I have seen--an immense crowd which surged up around us, and yet left a clear ring.

Gresson and I got against the wall on the side-walk, and faced the furious soldiery.

My intention was to do as little as possible, but the first minute convinced me that my companion had no idea how to use his fists, and I was mortally afraid that he would get busy with the gun in his pocket.
It was that fear that brought me into the scrap.

The jocks were sportsmen every bit of them, and only one advanced to the combat.

He hit Gresson a clip on the jaw with his left, and but for the wall would have laid him out.