150 THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF 'TOM' 



The municipal guard understood that the danger lay 

 on that side, and bravely drawing his sword ran up the 

 steps, through the door, and into the ground-floor apart- 

 ments. 



The first thing which met his eye on entering the 

 drawing-room was the good-humoured face of Tom, who, 

 standing on his hind legs,- had pushed his head and front 

 paws through one of the panes and was inspecting these 

 unknown regions with some curiosity. 



The municipal guard paused — uncertain, brave though 

 he was, whether to advance or retreat ; but no sooner did 

 Tom catch sight of him than with a kind of smothered 

 roar he hastily drew back his head and forepaws, and 

 made all possible haste to take refuge in the furthest 

 corner of the garden. 



The fact was that Tom had never forgotten the beat- 

 ing given him by the municipal guards on the occasion of 

 that memorable visit of his to the masked ball at the 

 Odeon Theatre. He connected the sight of their uniform 

 with the treatment he had received at their hands, and 

 this being the case, it is not surprising that as soon as he 

 saw one of his enemies appear in the ground-floor draw- 

 ing-room he made haste to quit the premises. 



Nothing is so inspiriting as to see your enemy in flight. 

 Besides, as already said, the guard was not wanting in 

 courage ; so he set off after Tom, who, after two or three 

 unsuccessful attempts to climb the wall, had placed him- 

 self in an angle, rose up on his hind legs and prepared to 

 defend himself in accordance with the lessons in boxing 

 given him by his friend Fan. 



The guard, on his side, put himself into position, and 

 lost no time in attacking Tom according to every rule of 

 art. 



After a few rounds Tom dealt his opponent such a 

 blow on the arm that his wrist was dislocated, and the 

 gallant guard found himself at the mercy of the bear. 



Luckily for him the Commissioner of Police arrived at 



