led over after the escaping
man, got into the chasm on the other side, and then following him, just
in time to hear a dull, heavy thud, and his mate staggered back against
him half stunned by a heavy blow.

Just then there was a sharp whiz; and he felt the wind of a blow aimed
at him from the rocks above his head, to which he replied by lugging out
his hanger and dealing a vigorous blow at his unseen enemy, but without
effect.

"Here, this way," he shouted. "Waters! Tom Tully! Here they are."

A sturdy "Ahoy!" came in response, just as the first man began to
scramble to his feet and stood rubbing his head.

"Where away?" cried Billy Waters.

"Here ho!" replied both the men in the narrow pass; and beading the rest
of the party, the gunner, after another hail or two, scrambled over and
joined the two first men, every one of the party now having his
unsheathed cutlass in his hand.

"Well," cried the gunner excitedly, "where are they?"

"Close here," said the man who had received the blow. "One of 'em hit
me with a handspike."

"And some one cut at me from up above on the rocks," cried the other.

The gunner held up his hand to command silence, and then listened
attentively.

"Why there ar'n't no one," he cried in tones of disgust. "You Joe
Harris, you run up again a rock; and as for you, Jemmy Leeson, you've
been asleep."

The two men indignantly declared that they had spoken the truth; but
with an impatient "Pish!" the gunner went forward along the narrow way.

"Here, come along," he said; and as the words left his lips those behind
heard a heavy blow, and Billy Waters came hastily back.

"That ain't fancy," said one of the men, "unless Billy hit his head
again the rocks."

"It warn't my head," whispered the gunner drawing in his breath, and
trying to suppress the pain. "It caught me right on the left shoulder.
I shall be all right directly, my lads, and we'll give it 'em. I'll bet
that's how they sarved poor Master Leigh; and we've dropped right into
the proper spot. Just wait till I get my breath a bit."

"Think it's the smugglers?" said Tom Tully.

"Sartain," was the reply. "I wish we had a lantern or two. But never
mind. If we can't see to hit them, they can't see to hit us; so it's
broad as it's long."

"We shall want the pistols, shan't we?" said one of the men.

"Pistols? no," cried the gunner. "Stick to your whingers, lads. It's
no use to fire a piece without you can take good a