He rose as he spoke, and planted one foot upon my chest. Then catching
the pocket-knife thrown to him by one of the men at the door, he opened
it with a great deal of show and menace, bending down to stare savagely
in my eyes as he whetted the blade upon the boot resting on my chest.
Of course I was a good deal alarmed, but I knew all the while that this
was all show and that the great ruffian was trying to frighten me. I
was in a desperately bad state, in an evil place, but it was broad
daylight, and people had seen me come in, so that I did not for a moment
think he would dare to kill me. All the same, though, I could not help
feeling a curious nervous kind of tremor run through my frame as he
flourished the knife about and glared at me as if pondering as to what
he should do next.
"I wish Ike were here," I thought; and as I did so I could not help
thinking how big and strong he was, and how little he would make of
seizing this great cowardly ruffian by the throat and making him let me
go.
"Now, then," he cried, "out wi' that there money." For answer, I
foolishly showed him where it was by clapping my hand upon my pocket,
when, with a grin of satisfaction, he tore my hand away, thrust in his
great fingers, and dragged it out, spat on the various coins, and thrust
them in his own pocket.
"What d'yer say?" he cried, bending down again towards me.
"The police shall make you give that up," I panted.
"Says we're to spend this here in beer, mates," he said, grinning, while
the woman stood with her eyes half shut and her arms folded, looking on.
The two men at the door laughed.
"Now, then," said the big fellow, "since he's come out genteel-like with
his money, I don't think I'll give him the knife this time. Get up with
yer, and be off while your shoes are good."
He took his great boot off my chest, and I started up.
"I wouldn't give much for yer," he growled, "if yer showed yer face here
agen."
He accompanied this with such a menacing look that I involuntarily
shrank away, but recovering myself directly I seized the coil of rope
and made for the door.
"What!" roared the great ruffian, snatching the rope, and, as I held on
to it, dragging me back. "Trying to steal, are you?"
"It's mine--it's ours," I cried passionately.
"Oh! I'll soon let yer know about that," he cried. "Look here, mates;
this is our rope, ain't it?"
"Yes," said one of them: "I'll swear to it."