lp. He was driving his man
with fiery vigor. I had never seen him fight; all I had seen of
his power had been mere play.

It was grand to see the old man fighting as if, for a moment, his
youth had come back to him. I knew it could not go far. His fire
would burn out quickly; then the blade of the young Britisher,
tireless and quick as I knew it to be, would let his blood before
my very eyes. What to do I knew not. Again I came up to them; but
my father warned me off hotly. He was fighting with terrific
energy. I swear to you that in half a minute he had broken the
sword of his Lordship, who took to the water, swimming for his
life. I leaped in, catching him half over the eddy, where we
fought like roadmen, striking in the air and bumping on the bottom.
We were both near drowned when D'ri swam out and gave me his
belt-end, hauling us in.

I got to my feet soon. My father came up to me, and wiped a cut
on my forehead.

"Damn you, my boy!" said he. "Don't ever interfere with me in a
matter of that kind. You might have been hurt."

We searched the island, high and low, for the ladies, but with no
success. Then we marched our prisoners to the south channel, where
a bateau--the same that brought us help--had been waiting. One of
our men had been shot in the shoulder, another gored in the hip
with a bayonet, and we left a young Briton dead on the shore. We
took our prisoners to Paleyville, and locked them overnight in the
blockhouse.

The channel was lighted by a big bonfire on the south bank, as we
came over. Its flames went high, and made a great, sloping volcano
of light in the darkness.

After the posting of the guard, some gathered about my father and
began to cheer him. It nettled the veteran. He would take no
honor for his defeat of the clever man, claiming the latter had no
chance to fight.

"He had no foot-room with the boy one side and D'ri t' other," said
he. "I had only to drive him back."

My father and the innkeeper and D'ri and I sat awhile, smoking, in
the warm glow of the bonfire.

"You 're a long-headed man," said I, turning to my comrade.

"Kind o' thought they'd be trouble," said D'ri. "So I tuk 'n ast
yer father t' come over hossback with hef a dozen good men. They
got three more et the tavern here, an' lay off 'n thet air bateau,
waitin' fer the moosecall. I cal'lated I did n't want no more
slidin' over there 'n Canady."

After a little snicker, he added: "Hed all