elight
of the practised fencer thrill through him at the prospect of an
encounter. Oh yes! he would put up a good fight, such a fight as these
people should remember to their dying day; though of course one of them
would get him, sooner or later, when his weapon happened to be plunged
in the body of an enemy.

These thoughts flashed through the young Englishman's mind in the
drawing of a breath. Then he braced himself afresh against the wall to
meet a second and much more wary attack--his enemies had learned caution
already, for instead of flinging themselves upon him pell-mell, as at
the first rush, they attacked him three at a time, one in front, and one
on either hand, thus allowing plenty of room for the play of their
blades. Also they strove, by every stratagem they could think of, to
entice him away from the wall, so that they might be able to slip round
and take him in the rear; but to keep one's back to the wall was one of
the fundamental rules of self defence that had been dinned into him
until it had become impossible to forget it, and Harry was not to be
tempted. Close to the wall he kept, allowing himself only just
sufficient room for the free play of his blade; and when at length the
attacking trio, losing patience, attempted to rush in upon him, his
point seemed to threaten all three at once, and the next moment two of
the three were _hors de combat_, one with his sword hand half severed at
the wrist, and the other with his right arm laid open from wrist to
elbow.

The ineffectiveness of the attack proved too much for Huanacocha, who
had thus far been looking on at the fray with a sardonic grin upon his
countenance. Now, as he saw the swordsmen hanging back, obviously
afraid to approach that charmed semicircle, the whole of which Escombe's
blade seemed to cover at the same moment, he lost patience, and, with an
angry roar, dashed forward, snatched a weapon from one of the disabled
fighters, and called upon all present to help him to capture the
audacious young foreigner who seemed determined to make fools of them
all. Then, as the others sprang at his call, an idea suddenly seized
him. Tearing the cloak off his shoulders, he flung the heavy garment
straight at Harry, whose blade became entangled in the folds for just
the fraction of a second. But it was enough; the others, seeing in an
instant what had happened, tossed away their weapons and, flinging
themselves upon Escombe before he could clear