doubtful,
furious, and deadly contest.

The strangers were well armed; they fell in silence upon their
assailants; and the affray became a series of single combats. Dick, who
had come first into the mellay, was engaged by three; the first he cut
down at the first blow, but the other two coming upon him, hotly, he was
fain to give ground before their onset. One of these two was a huge
fellow, almost a giant for stature, and armed with a two-handed sword,
which he brandished like a switch. Against this opponent, with his reach
of arm and the length and weight of his weapon, Dick and his bill were
quite defenceless; and had the other continued to join vigorously in the
attack, the lad must have indubitably fallen. This second man, however,
less in stature and slower in his movements, paused for a moment to peer
about him in the darkness, and to give ear to the sounds of the battle.

The giant still pursued his advantage, and still Dick fled before him,
spying for his chance. Then the huge blade flashed and descended, and
the lad, leaping on one side and running in, slashed sideways and
upwards with his bill. A roar of agony responded, and, before the
wounded man could raise his formidable weapon, Dick, twice repeating his
blow, had brought him to the ground.

The next moment he was engaged, upon more equal terms, with his second
pursuer. Here there was no great difference in size, and though the man,
fighting with sword and dagger against a bill, and being wary and quick
of fence, had a certain superiority of arms, Dick more than made it up
by his greater agility on foot. Neither at first gained any obvious
advantage; but the older man was still insensibly profiting by the
ardour of the younger to lead him where he would; and presently Dick
found that they had crossed the whole width of the beach, and were now
fighting above the knees in the spume and bubble of the breakers. Here
his own superior activity was rendered useless; he found himself more or
less at the discretion of his foe; yet a little, and he had his back
turned upon his own men, and saw that this adroit and skilful adversary
was bent upon drawing him farther and farther away.

Dick ground his teeth. He determined to decide the combat instantly; and
when the wash of the next wave had ebbed and left them dry, he rushed
in, caught a blow upon his bill, and leaped right at the throat of his
opponent. The man went down backwards, with Dick still upon the top o