"
They presently came to a street leading in the desired direction. They had
scarcely entered it when they heard ahead of them the sound of a fray. A
loud cry arose, and there was a clashing of sword-blades.
"Come on, Tom!" Guy said; "it may be that some gentleman is attacked by
these ruffians of the streets."
Starting off at a run, they soon arrived at the scene of combat, the
features of which they were able to see by the light of the lamp that hung
in the centre of the street. A man was standing in a narrow doorway, which
prevented his being attacked except in front, and the step on which he
stood gave him a slight advantage over his adversaries. These were nearly
a dozen in number, and were evidently, as Guy had supposed, street
ruffians of the lowest class. Without hesitation Guy and the archer fell
upon them, with a shout of encouragement to the defender of the doorway,
who was evidently sorely pressed. Tom's quarter-staff sent two of the men
rolling on the ground almost before they realized that they were attacked,
while Guy ran another through the body. For a moment the assailants
scattered, but then, seeing that they were attacked by only two men, they
fell upon them with fury.
Guy defended himself stoutly, but he would have fared badly had it not
been for the efforts of Long Tom, whose staff descended with such
tremendous force upon the heads of his assailants that it broke down their
guard, and sent man after man on to the pavement.
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