door he was still feebly murmuring, "I protest--I object--I
protest!"



THE EIGHTH CHAPTER

THREE CHEERS

NEXT the judge made a very long speech to the jury; and when it
was over all the twelve jurymen got up and went out into the next
room. And at that point the Doctor came back, leading Bob, to the
seat beside me.

"What have the jurymen gone out for?" I asked.

"They always do that at the end of a trial--to make up their
minds whether the prisoner did it or not."

"Couldn't you and Bob go in with them and help them make up their
minds the right way?" I asked.

"No, that's not allowed. They have to talk it over in secret.
Sometimes it takes--My Gracious, look, they're coming back
already! They didn't spend long over it."

Everybody kept quite still while the twelve men came tramping
back into their places in the pews. Then one of them, the
leader--a little man--stood up and turned to the judge. Every
one was holding his breath, especially the Doctor and myself, to