‘Send Mr. Jinks here, directly! Instantly.’ ‘Yes, your Worship.’ Muzzle retired; and a pale, sharp-nosed, half-fed, shabbily-clad clerk, of middle age, entered the room. ‘Mr. Jinks,’ said the magistrate. ‘Mr. Jinks.’ ‘Sir,’ said Mr. Jinks. ‘This lady, Mr. Jinks, has come here, to give information of an intended duel in this town.’ Mr. Jinks, not knowing exactly what to do, smiled a dependent’s smile. ‘What are you laughing at, Mr. Jinks?’ said the magistrate. Mr. Jinks looked serious instantly. ‘Mr. Jinks,’ said the magistrate, ‘you’re a fool.’ Mr. Jinks looked humbly at the great man, and bit the top of his pen. ‘You may see something very comical in this information, Sir--but I can tell you this, Mr. Jinks, that you have very little to laugh at,’ said the magistrate. The hungry-looking Jinks sighed, as if he were quite aware of the fact of his having very little indeed to be merry about; and, being ordered to take the lady’s information, shambled to a seat, and proceeded to write it down. ‘This man, Pickwick, is the principal, I understand?’ said the magistrate, when the statement was finished. ‘He is,’ said the middle-aged lady. ‘And the other rioter--what’s his name, Mr. Jinks?’ ‘Tupman, Sir.’ Tupman is the second?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘The other principal, you say, has absconded, ma’am?’ ‘Yes,’ replied Miss Witherfield, with a short cough. ‘Very well,’ said the magistrate. ‘These are two cut-throats from London, who have come down here to destroy his Majesty’s population, thinking that at this distance from the capital, the arm of the law is weak and paralysed. They shall be made an example of. Draw up the warrants, Mr. Jinks. Muzzle!’ ‘Yes, your Worship.’ ‘Is Grummer downstairs?’ ‘Yes, your Worship.’ ‘Send him up.’ The obsequious Muzzle retired, and presently returned, introducing the elderly gentleman in the top-boots, who was chiefly remarkable for a bottle-nose, a hoarse voice, a snuff-coloured surtout, and a wandering eye. ‘Grummer,’ said the magistrate. ‘Your Wash-up.’ ‘Is the town quiet now?’ ‘Pretty well, your Wash-up,’ replied Grummer. ‘Pop’lar feeling has in a measure subsided, consekens o’ the boys having dispersed to cricket.’ ‘Nothing but vigorous measures will do in these times, Grummer,’ said the magistrate, in a determined manner. ‘If the authority of the king’s officers is set at naught, we must have the riot act read. If the civil power cannot protect these windows, Grummer, the military must protect the civil power, and the windows too. I believe that is a maxim of the constitution, Mr. Jinks?’ Certainly, sir,’ said Jinks. ‘Very good,’ said the magistrate, signing the warrants. ‘Grummer, you will bring these persons before me, this afternoon. You will find them at the Great White Horse. You recollect the case of the Middlesex Dumpling and the Suffolk Bantam, Grummer?’