A moment later the men were scuffling on the floor.

“I’ll teach you!” the squire kept yelling.

“Let me go!” shouted Ralph.

“Oh, we must get help!” screamed Alice.  “Tavia, run quick, to the office next door.  That man is crazy.  He will kill Ralph,” and, while Tavia ran to one side of the place, Alice hurried to the other, so that all possible help would be called at once.

In a short time the little place was crowded.  Some came to aid, and others came to see what was wrong.  Alice and Tavia stood by with very white faces.  Alice had pulled the squire away from Ralph and the aged man finally had been subdued, that is two men had succeeded in keeping him away from Ralph, but not until the young man had been considerably injured.  The squire was still sputtering and those who tried to quiet him had a hard task of it.  Every time they would let go his arms he would throw them up with new energy, trying to get at Ralph again, until at last it was found necessary to go to the constables’ desk; get out the only pair of handcuffs in Dalton, and put them on the wrists of the obstreperous official.

This, of course, was great fun for the boys who had gathered about, and who had more than one grudge against Squire Sanders.  Many a time he had chased them off the coasting hill, he had often spoiled a good day’s swimming, and as for apples—­a boy never knew when he was safe to “borrow” one from any orchard in Dalton.

But the tables were turned now—­and the boys were glad of it.  A taste of his own medicine would do the aged man good, they declared.

Not being able to do more than shout and kick, Squire Sanders soon “gave out” and fell back sullenly in a chair near a window.  Ralph’s head was bleeding.

“Oh, we must get Ralph to the drug store,” insisted Alice.  “Perhaps Dr. Gray will be there.  He is hurt, I am sure,” and she was almost in tears, for indeed Ralph looked very much injured—­his lip was cut, and girls cannot well stand the sight of blood.

Ralph felt quite well able to walk, he declared, and assured the girls, laughingly, that their case and his would now likely “come up” together in the next term of court.

But just as Alice, Tavia, Ralph, and a few sympathizing friends were ready to leave the office Franklin MacAllister, president of the Selectmen of Dalton, and father of Alice, stepped into the place.  He had heard of the disturbance, and having power to act in any such emergency, he hurried to the scene.

“Well,” he exclaimed, seeing his daughter there, “what in the world are you doing here?”

“Oh, I made all the trouble,” replied Alice, “that is, Tavia and I made it.  We were arrested—­”

“Arrested!” repeated the father, incredulously.

“Yes, indeed we were.  And Mr. Willoby only stepped in to help us when he got in trouble.”

Mr. MacAllister talked earnestly to Ralph.  Plainly both men were of the same opinion—­either Squire Sanders was crazy or he was too old and incompetent to hold office.