ut on the head had stunned him for a while, and now laid him,
sick, dizzy, and bleeding, on the bank; but he was able to tell the
admiral that he felt nothing but a "plaguy bad headache."

We will leave him cooling in the dewy morning, and see what has become
of Master Windybank and some of those associated with him. The master
of Dean Tower, deeming his treachery well known, and not reckoning upon
any chance of life if he fell into the admiral's hands, rose to the
height of a desperate occasion, and fought in so resolute a fashion
that he was not outdone by the tigerish Basil or the cold-blooded
Jerome. The arch-plotter, who kept by the side of his untrustworthy
recruit, was astonished at the reckless valour he displayed. Truth to
tell, Jerome was half inclined to believe that Windybank had played a
double part, and was responsible for the admiral's knowledge of the
plot for unlading the _Luath_.

Entertaining such a notion, he was watching Master Andrew closely; and
had he detected any signs of half-heartedness, or any movement towards
escape, he would have run the young man through the body without
hesitation. But the suspected one proved, for the nonce, a leader that
would have led stouter-hearted fellows to victory; and Father Jerome,
seeing the fight was hopeless, determined to give Windybank a chance of
further life and usefulness in the Spanish cause. He slowly gave way
in the direction of the river, and whispered his companion to do
likewise.

"Skin whole?" he asked.

"Ay," panted Andrew.

"Fall into the river as though badly wounded, and try to save thyself.
I shall do the same. Leave Basil and John to fight this out."

A moment later Windybank toppled backwards into the stream. He was a
good swimmer, else had the Jesuit's advice availed him nothing, and he
rose to the surface and turned over on to his breast like a porpoise.
He fixed his sword between his teeth, and left himself to the rush of
the tide, putting in a few strokes now and then in order to keep a
proper course. A short time sufficed to put him out of the area of
actual conflict, and he rested himself for a moment to consider what
was best for him to do. He did not suppose that his foes would put an
escape to his credit, for his voice had been heard loudly enough in the
fight until the waters had closed above him. He determined to essay
the crossing of the river, as giving him the better chance of a run for
liberty, but he found t