However, as he walked in the door closed, and then suddenly, with shouts of "Down with the spy!" the men sprang from their seats and made a sudden rush at him.

For a minute the struggle was tremendous; man after man went down under Mark's blows, others clung onto him from behind, a rope was passed round his legs and pulled, and he fell down with a crash, bringing down five or six of his assailants; a minute later he was gagged and bound.
While the struggle was going on no one noticed that a Lascar's face was pressed against the window; it disappeared as soon as Mark fell, and ten minutes later a dark faced sailor ran into Gibbons'; it was a quiet evening at Ingleston's, and Gibbons, after smoking a pipe with half a dozen of the pugilists, had just returned.
"Hallo," he said, as he opened the door, "what the deuce do you want ?" The man was for a moment too breathless to answer.
"You know Mr.Thorndyke," he said at last, in very fair English.
"Yes, I know him.

Well, what of him ?" "He has been attacked by a number of thieves in a public house near the river, at Westminster, and he will be murdered unless you go with others to help him." "What the deuce was he doing there ?" Gibbons muttered, and then, seizing his cap, said to the Lascar, "Come along with me; it aint likely that we shall be in time, but we will try, anyhow." He ran to Ingleston's.
"Come along, Ingleston," he exclaimed, "and all of you.

You all know Mr.Thorndyke.This man says he has been attacked by a gang down at Westminster, and will be murdered.

I am afraid we shan't be in time, but it is worth trying." The prize fighters all leaped to their feet.