The Hectors hit the ground. Mung tripped and landed on his backside, and one of the girls screamed.
Bunker, however, didn't flinch. He looked at the gun for a moment, his head turned to one side. Then he took a step towards Wrinkler, reached out, and simply took it from the other boy's hand. Then he turned and stood beside him, his back to the Okies, and laid the gun out on one of his massive paws.
"This is a revolver, Flip. You press the hammer at the back here to open the cylinder, see? Hmm, no cartridges inside. The fellow you stole it from hadn't loaded it, which is the sensible thing to do. I guess you could have hit me over the head with it though."
The Hectors, who had got back to their feet, fell over again with laughter.
"That belongs to Saint Nick," Wrinkler said.
"Perfect," Bunker said. "Was already on my way. I'll deliver it personally. Now, the suitcase. Open it."
Wrinkler reached down to the suitcase, as if to open it, but with a sudden violent movement swung it straight up into Bunker's chin. There was a dull thud, and Bunker spun went to his hands and knees, the barking iron flying from his hand and spinning away. His squinted. Spat blood onto the cobblestones. There was a moment of complete silence, in which nobody breathed. Then he launched himself at Wrinkler.
The Hectors surged forward.
Before he knew what was happening Ward was caught in the melee. He seized Mung by the collar as one of the girls pummelled his head with a handbag. Someone else threw themselves at him and he fell to the ground, grazing his palms. Before he could get up again a Hector girl roughly the size and weight of a pony stomped on his hand. All around him rose screams and cries and sudden shrieks of pain and hoots of victorious laughter.
When he got to his feet again, cradling his throbbing hand, he saw Mildew dragging the suitcase away down the lane. But he wasn't the only one who had seen her. Bunker suddenly bounded towards her like a bear, scattering Okies left and right. He moved fast for someone so big. He caught Mildew by the hair and twisted. She shrieked and kicked at him, but he only pulled harder. She swung about like a doll in his hand, kicking over a dustbin, the lid flying off and rolling away. Ward veered towards it as he ran. In one movement he scooped up the lid, raised it as high as he could, and brought it down on the back of Bunker's head. There was a broing! sound. The lid quivered like a bell, stinging his fingers.
Have you ever wondered why dustbins are used for general rubbish, not only dust?
No, me either.