. ."
"Take him home," said I. "Policeman will help if there's a row
outside."
Then I dropped the curtain on them and faced about. The audience by
this time were standing on benches and chairs, but of course my first
job was with the hustlers who had reached the end of the gangway and
were coming on under the lee of the platform. They looked ugly at
first, but the job turned out to be a soft one.
"You wanted him turned out," said I, "and we've obliged you.
Rather neatly, eh?--You can't say no to that."
I wanted someone to laugh, and by the mercy of Heaven someone did--
someone back in the third or fourth row. In five seconds or so quite
a lot of people were laughing and applauding.
"Now stand where you are," said I, catching hold of this advantage;
"and one of you give me a leg up to the platform. I'm going to
propose a vote of thanks. . . . Won't keep you standing long.
But please don't go back to your seats; because some of the women are
frightened."
Well, they gave me a leg up, and somebody above gave me a hand, and
there I was, none the worse, on the platform.
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