hem to stand back, with such authority and anger in his voice that
their weapons dropped to their sides. With staring eyes and set features
they stood watching that unequal fight.

Once it seemed that all was over with the Squire, for in springing back
from his enemy he tripped over one of the bodies which strewed the deck
and fell flat upon his back, but with a swift wriggle he escaped the
heavy blow which thundered down upon him, and springing to his feet he
bit deeply into the Frenchman's helmet with a sweeping cut in return.
Again the mace fell, and this time Nigel had not quite cleared himself.
His sword was beaten down and the blow fell partly upon his left
shoulder. He staggered, and once more the iron club whirled upward to
dash him to the ground.

Quick as a flash it passed through his mind that he could not leap
beyond its reach. But he might get within it. In an instant he had
dropped his sword, and springing in he had seized the brazen man round
the waist. The mace was shortened and the handle jobbed down once upon
the bare flaxen head. Then, with a sonorous clang, and a yell of delight
from the spectators, Nigel with one mighty wrench tore his enemy from
the deck and hurled him down upon his back. His own head was whirling
and he felt that his senses were slipping away, but already his
hunting-knife was out and pointing through the slit in the brazen
helmet.

"Give yourself up, fair sir!" said he.

"Never to fishermen and to archers! I am a gentleman of coat-armor. Kill
me!"

"I also am a gentleman of coat-armor. I promise you quarter."

"Then, sir, I surrender myself to you."

The dagger tinkled down upon the deck. Seamen and archers ran forward,
to find Nigel half senseless upon his face. They drew him off, and a few
deft blows struck off the helmet of his enemy. A head, sharp-featured,
freckled and foxy-red, disclosed itself beneath it. Nigel raised himself
on his elbow for an instant.

"You are the Red Ferret?" said he.

"So my enemies call me," said the Frenchman, with a smile. "I rejoice,
sir, that I have fallen to so valiant and honorable a gentleman."

"I thank you, fair sir," said Nigel feebly. "I also rejoice that I have
encountered so debonair a person, and I shall ever bear in mind the
pleasure which I have had from our meeting."

So saying, he laid his bleeding head upon his enemy's brazen front and
sank into a dead faint.

XV. HOW THE RED FERRET CAME TO COSFORD

The ol