Suddenly to the girl's delight there appeared at the back of the roughs the inquiring, sunburnt face of Lewis.
The men turned and stared with hanging jaws.

"Now, what the dickens is this ?" he cried, and catching two of their necks he pulled their heads together and then flung them apart.
The three seemed sobered by the apparition.

"And what the h-ll is your business ?" they cried conjointly; and one, a dark-browed fellow, doubled his fists and advanced.
Lewis stood regarding them with a smiling face and very bright, cross eyes.

"Are you by way of insulting this lady?
If you weren't drunk, I'd teach you manners.

Get out of this in case I forget myself." For answer the foremost of the men hit out.