Newcomers in Paxor are stopped by a territorial thug after entering a street; he accuses them of breaking rules and demands protection money. They offer ten coppers; he scorns them, raises the price to three hundred coppers and threatens to keep them trapped, ordering his boys to seize them. A brief scuffle and insults erupt until someone shouts to stop. The confrontation is abruptly interrupted when an official steps in, asking, "Who dares argue in front of a magistrate?" The newcomers' fate and the bully's demand remain unresolved.