he sounds were repeated, followed by a savage shout, and the man beat a
retreat.

For Colonel Pendarve had come panting up at the sight of the struggle,
and, bringing to bear his old cavalry officer's skill, delivered three
slashing sabre cuts with his heavy cane, the first from the right, the
second from the left shoulder, putting the enemy thoroughly to rout.
For the man left the trophies of the fight in the boys' hands, made for
the road, and disappeared over the wall.

CHAPTER TWELVE.

THE MAJOR HAS STRANGE SYMPTOMS.

"Whatever is the meaning of all this?" panted the Colonel, as Major
Jollivet came up more slowly, looking weak and pale, but urged on by his
excitement, to their side.

Gwyn blurted out something incoherent, for he was too much exhausted to
speak plainly, and stared confusedly at his father.

"What?" cried the latter; "I can't understand you. Here, Joe Jollivet,
what have you to say?"

"Blurr--blurr--bline!" babbled Joe.

"Splendid cuts, Pendarve. The grand old form," panted Major Jollivet.
"You--you--you--sent--sent--the blood--der--der--dancing through--in--my
veins."

"Yes, I flatter myself, he had them home," said the Colonel, smiling
with satisfaction. "Regular old pursuing practice. Lucky for him it
was not the steel. But what is it all about? Who is the fellow? Was
he trying to rob you?"

"No--you, father," stuttered Gwyn. "C-caught him--mum--measuring the
mine. Took away--his line."

"What? You boys did?"

Joe nodded, still too breathless to speak, and not feeling disposed to
utter incoherent sounds again.

"Yes--father--Joe's got it."

"Ha! ha! ha!" laughed the Colonel. "It seems to me that you've both got
it. Do you know that your nose is bleeding, sir?"

Gwyn gave that organ the aboriginal wipe, drawing the back of his hand
across his face, looked at it and saw that it was covered with blood.

"No--didn't know, father," he said, taking out his handkerchief now.
"Yes, it does bleed."

"Bleed, yes! Why, you have had a regular fight, then?"

"Running fight, seemingly," said the Major, grimly. "Tut--tut--tut!
What a disreputable pair of young blackguards they look."

"Never mind," said the Colonel, suavely. "They did quite right to
attack the enemy, even if he was in greater force. But I don't quite
understand it, Gwyn. Did he say he was measuring the mine?"

"No, father; but we saw him doing it."

"But how could he know anything about it? The ma