d he moved toward his enemies, silent save for
the ponderous clank of his footfall. It was an inhuman, machine-like
figure, menacing and terrible, devoid of all expression, slow-moving,
inexorable and awesome.

A sudden wave of terror passed over the English seamen. One of them
tried to pass and get behind the brazen man, but he was pinned against
the side by a quick movement and his brains dashed out by a smashing
blow from the heavy mace. Wild panic seized the others, and they rushed
back to the boat. Aylward strung an arrow, but his bowstring was damp
and the shaft rang loudly upon the shining breast-plate and glanced off
into the sea. Masters struck the brazen head with a sword, but the blade
snapped without injuring the helmet, and an instant later the bowman was
stretched senseless on the deck. The seamen shrank from this terrible
silent creature and huddled in the stern, all the fight gone out of
them.

Again he raised his mace and was advancing on the helpless crowd where
the brave were encumbered and hampered by the weaklings, when Nigel
shook himself clear and bounded forward into the open, his sword in his
hand and a smile of welcome upon his lips.

The sun had set, and one long mauve gash across the western Channel was
closing swiftly into the dull grays of early night. Above, a few stars
began to faintly twinkle; yet the twilight was still bright enough for
an observer to see every detail of the scene: the Marie Rose, dipping
and rising on the long rollers astern; the broad French boat with its
white deck blotched with blood and littered with bodies; the group of
men in the stern, some trying to advance and some seeking to escape--all
a confused, disorderly, struggling rabble.

Then betwixt them and the mast the two figures: the armed shining man
of metal, with hand upraised, watchful, silent, motionless, and Nigel,
bareheaded and crouching, with quick foot, eager eyes and fearless happy
face, moving this way and that, in and out, his sword flashing like a
gleam of light as he sought at all points for some opening in the brazen
shell before him.

It was clear to the man in armor that if he could but pen his antagonist
in a corner he would beat him down without fail. But it was not to be
done. The unhampered man had the advantage of speed. With a few quick
steps he could always glide to either side and escape the clumsy rush.
Aylward and Badding had sprung out to Nigel's assistance; but he shouted
to t