At a tottering moment a blow from Pete’s hand struck the ally and he crashed to the floor.  He wriggled instantly to his feet and grasping the quiet stranger’s beer glass from the bar, hurled it at Pete’s head.

High on the wall it burst like a bomb, shivering fragments flying in all directions.  Then missiles came to every man’s hand.  The place had heretofore appeared free of things to throw, but suddenly glass and bottles went singing through the air.  They were thrown point blank at bobbing heads.  The pyramid of shimmering glasses, that had never been disturbed, changed to cascades as heavy bottles were flung into them.  Mirrors splintered to nothing.

The three frothing creatures on the floor buried themselves in a frenzy for blood.  There followed in the wake of missiles and fists some unknown prayers, perhaps for death.

The quiet stranger had sprawled very pyrotechnically out on the sidewalk.  A laugh ran up and down the avenue for the half of a block.

“Dey’ve trowed a bloke inteh deh street.”

People heard the sound of breaking glass and shuffling feet within the saloon and came running.  A small group, bending down to look under the bamboo doors, watching the fall of glass, and three pairs of violent legs, changed in a moment to a crowd.

A policeman came charging down the sidewalk and bounced through the doors into the saloon.  The crowd bended and surged in absorbing anxiety to see.

Jimmie caught first sight of the on-coming interruption.  On his feet he had the same regard for a policeman that, when on his truck, he had for a fire engine.  He howled and ran for the side door.

The officer made a terrific advance, club in hand.  One comprehensive sweep of the long night stick threw the ally to the floor and forced Pete to a corner.  With his disengaged hand he made a furious effort at Jimmie’s coat-tails.  Then he regained his balance and paused.

“Well, well, you are a pair of pictures.  What in hell yeh been up to?”

Jimmie, with his face drenched in blood, escaped up a side street, pursued a short distance by some of the more law-loving, or excited individuals of the crowd.

Later, from a corner safely dark, he saw the policeman, the ally and the bartender emerge from the saloon.  Pete locked the doors and then followed up the avenue in the rear of the crowd-encompassed policeman and his charge.

On first thoughts Jimmie, with his heart throbbing at battle heat, started to go desperately to the rescue of his friend, but he halted.

“Ah, what deh hell?” he demanded of himself.

Chapter XII