Looking out of the doorway, I saw some of them
furtively regarding us from a respectful distance. I twitched Jack by the
sleeve:
"See here," I said, "there's some mistake about this. I don't believe
that this is a shop. You'd better be careful, or we may make a bad
break."
"Oh, pshaw!" he replied; "it's a shop all right, or if it isn't exactly a
shop that old duffer will be glad to get a little good money for one of
his gimcracks."
My suspicion that all was not right was not allayed when I noticed that
the old man, whose complexion differed from the prevailing tone here, and
who was specially remarkable by the possession of an eagle-beaked nose, a
peculiarity that I had not before observed among these people, began to
frown as Jack brusquely approached him. But I could not interfere before
Jack had thrown a handful of coin in his lap, and, reaching up, had put
his hand upon one of the curious sunbursts, saying:
"I guess this will suit; what do you say, Peter?"
Instantly the old fellow sprang to his feet, sending the coins rolling
over the polished floor, and with eyes ablaze with anger, seized Jack by
the throat.
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