Supposing there were no way through, and we had to turn back, it would be no joke, thought I, to face all these disreputable-looking loungers who already were making themselves offensive as we passed, by words and gesture.
I could tell by the way Smith strode on that he felt no more comfortable than I did.
"You're sure there's a way through ?" I said.
"Almost sure," he answered.
At the same moment a stone struck me on the cheek.

It was not a hard blow, and the blood which mounted to my face was quite as much brought there by anger as by pain.
"Come on!" said Smith, who had seen what happened.
Coming on meant threading our way through a knot of young roughs, who evidently considered our appearance in the court an intrusion and were disposed to resent it.

One of them put out his foot as Smith came up with a view to trip him, but Jack saw the manoeuvre in time and walked round.

Another hustled me as I brushed past and sent me knocking up against Jack, who, if he hadn't stood steady, would have knocked up against some one else, and so pretty certainly have provoked an assault.
How we ever got past these fellows I can't imagine; but we did, and for a yard or two ahead the passage was clear.
"Shall we make a rush for it ?" I asked of Jack.
"Better not," said he.

"If there is a way through, we must be nearly out now." He spoke so doubtfully that my heart sunk quite as much as if he had said there was no way through and we must turn back.
However, what lay immediately before us was obscured by a suddenly collected crowd of inhabitants, shouting and yelling with more than ordinary clamour.