what be you doin' here? Come for same reason,
p'r'aps?"

"I'd make you pay, if 't was awnly for sayin' that! I'm a man to steal
others' fur out of season, ban't I? But I doan't have no words wi' the
likes o' you. I've took you fair an' square, anyways, an' will just ax
if you be comin' wi'out a fuss, or am I to make 'e?"

The other snarled.

"You--you come a yard nearer an' I'll blaw your damned head--"

But the threat was left unfinished, and its execution failed, for Will
had been taught to take an armed man in his early days on the river, and
had seen an old hand capture more than one desperate character. He knew
that instantaneous action might get him within the muzzle of the gun and
out of danger, and while Bonus spoke, he flew straight upon him with
such unexpected celerity that Sam had no time to accomplish his purpose.
He came down heavily with Blanchard on top of him, and his weapon fell
from his hand. But the poacher was not done with. As they lay
struggling, he found his foot clear and managed to kick Will twice on
the leg above the knee. Then Blanchard, hanging like a dog to his foe,
freed an arm, and hit hard more than once into Sam's face. A blow on the
nose brought red blood that spurted over both men black as ink under the
moonlight.

It was not long before they broke away and rose from their first
struggle on the ground, but Bonus finally got to his knees, then to his
feet, and Will, as he did the same, knew by a sudden twinge in his leg
that if the poacher made off it must now be beyond his power to follow.

"No odds," he gasped, answering his thought aloud, while they wrestled.
"If you've brawk me somewheers 't is no matter, for you 'm marked all
right, an' them squinting eyes of yourn'll be blacker 'n sloes come
marnin'."

This obvious truth infuriated Bonus. He did not attempt to depart, but,
catching sight of his gun, made a tremendous effort to reach it. The
other saw this aim and exerted his strength in an opposite direction.
They fought in silence awhile--growled and cursed, sweated and swayed,
stamped and slipped and dripped blood under the dewy and
hawthorn-scented night. Bonus used all his strength to reach the gun;
Will sacrificed everything to his hold. He suffered the greater
punishment for a while, because Sam fought with all his limbs, like a
beast; but presently Blanchard threw the poacher heavily, and again they
came down together, this time almost on the wretched beast that s