The man had offered a sovereign to any one of his audience who could tell which of three cards he held uppermost in his hand.

One voice called out a number.

The man shuffled his cards, and by some slip on his part the guess of the speculator turned out correct.

Instantly that youth demanded his sovereign, which the man refused, vowing and calling others to witness that another number had been guessed.
"I'll bring the police," cried the voice, and instantly there was a movement in the group as of some one endeavouring to force his way out.
"Knock him over!" some one cried; "he's only one of them donkey schoolboys.

What business have they here at all ?" And at the signal two or three of the juggler's accomplices made a dash at the retreating youth and seized him.
"Souse him in the river!" cried somebody else.
"Sit on him!" shouted a third.
In the midst of these contradictory advices the roughs lifted their struggling victim from his feet, and proceeded to carry him in the direction of the bridge.
In the momentary glimpse which Charlie got of the wretched object of this persecution, he recognised, to his horror and astonishment, Tom Drift, livid with terror, frantic with rage, and yelling with pain.
"Jim," cried Charlie, "that's Tom Drift! Oh! can't we help him?
Will you try, Jim! Poor Tom!" "Is he one of them four as brought you here ?" asked Jim, not offering to move.
"Yes; but never mind that; they will drown him; see how furious they are! Will you help him, Jim ?" "Not a bit of me," replied the stubborn Jim, who was well content to see the tables turned on one who had so brutally ill-treated his young companion.
"Then I must try myself;" and so saying, the boy of thirteen rushed in among the crowd, and wildly tried to make his way to where his schoolfellow was being dragged by his persecutors.
Of course Jim had nothing for it but to back him up, and in a moment he was beside my young master.
"Let the boy be!" he shouted to those who carried Drift, in a voice so loud that for a moment the rabble stood quiet to hear.
In the midst of this silence Charlie shouted,-- "Hold on, Tom Drift, we'll help you if we can." Instantly the crowd took up the name.
"Tom Drift! Yah! Souse Tom Drift! Roll Tom Drift in the mud! Yah! Tom Drift!" And sure enough Tom Drift would have suffered the penalty prepared for him, despite Charlie's attempt at rescue, had not help come at that moment from a most unexpected quarter.
It will be remembered that Joe Halliday and his friend Walcot had planned a long walk on this holiday to Whitstone Woods, some ten miles beyond Gurley.
This plan they had duly carried out, and were now making the best of their way back to Randlebury along the crowded highway, when the sudden cry of a schoolfellow's name startled them.
"Tom Drift! Yah! Beggarly schoolboy!" "I say, Joe, that's one of our fellows! What's happening ?" Joe accosted a passer-by.
"What's going on ?" he inquired.
"They're only going to souse a young chap in the river." "What for ?" "I don't know; 'cause he don't think the same as old Shuffle, the three- card chap." "We must do something, Joe," said Walcot.
"I wish it were any other chap; but come on, we're in for it now," said Joe.
And with that these two broad-shouldered, tall fellows dashed into the thick of the fray.
Tom's bearers were now at the bridge, which was a low one, and were turning down towards the water's edge, when a new cry arrested them.
"Now, Randlebury! Put it on, Randlebury! Who backs up Randlebury ?" It was the old familiar cry of the football field, and at the sound of the well-known voices, Charlie's heart leapt for joy.
"I do!" he shouted, with all his might.