ep together. If you
separate you are lost. You'll be cut down or prisoners before you can
raise a hand."

These words were all said in a jerky way in the midst of plenty of
cutting and foining; for, though the Frenchmen did not attempt to pass
the doorway, they kept on making fierce thrusts at us, though with
little result.

I crept back and unfastened the door silently, so as not to draw the
enemy's attention, and, holding my sword ready, I peered out, the noise
going on drowning that I made with the lock and bolts.

To my dismay I saw that there were three of the enemy on guard, and,
closing the door softly, I took a couple of steps back, and told my
father.

"Only three!" he said coolly. "Oh, that's nothing. Now, then, to the
door! Hold it ready. In a few moments you will see us make a dash and
drive these fellows back. Then we shall turn and follow you. Dash out
with a good shout, and strike right and left. The men there are sure to
run. Then all for the rocks, and don't look back; we shall follow."

I obeyed him exactly. Just as I had the door ready to fling open, my
father, the foreman, and the others suddenly sprang forward, as if about
to drive the Frenchmen out of the counting-house, and they fell back.

Then open went the door. I saw our fellows turn round, and, sword in
hand and feeling as if I was going to my death, I dashed right at the
three men guarding the back, shouting "Hurrah!" at the top of my voice.

I felt sure that they would run me through, but my father was right.
One ran to the left, another to the right, and the other straight on up
the steep slope, and, as I cut at him desperately, down he went
untouched, save by a stone over which he tripped, and we all went over
him as we rushed up the valley side to the shelter of the rocks, and
with the enemy swarming out and after us.

It was rough work, but we knew our way. The enemy were strange, and
before we had toiled up a hundred yards they began to tail off. In
another hundred we were some way up, and panting behind a clump of rocks
that formed quite a little fort, while below us we could see the enemy
gathered together in a group, and evidently about to return.

CHAPTER FORTY.

AFTER THE FIGHT.

"Let's get breath first," said my father. "Sit down, my lads, anywhere.
How many are we? Only six all told? Who's hurt?"

"Oh, I'm all right, captain," said the foreman; "only a bit of a cut."

"Only a bit of a cut!" s