his power had been mere play.

It was grand to see the old man fighting as if, for a moment, his
youth had come back to him. I knew it could not go far. His fire
would burn out quickly; then the blade of the young Britisher,
tireless and quick as I knew it to be, would let his blood before
my very eyes. What to do I knew not. Again I came up to them; but
my father warned me off hotly. He was fighting with terrific
energy. I swear to you that in half a minute he had broken the
sword of his Lordship, who took to the water, swimming for his
life. I leaped in, catching him half over the eddy, where we
fought like roadmen, striking in the air and bumping on the bottom.
We were both near drowned when D'ri swam out and gave me his
belt-end, hauling us in.

I got to my feet soon. My father came up to me, and wiped a cut
on my forehead.

"Damn you, my boy!" said he. "Don't ever interfere with me in a
matter of that kind. You might have been hurt."

We searched the island, high and low, for the ladies, but with no
success. Then we marched our prisoners to the south channel, where
a bateau--the same that brought us help--had been waiting. One of
our men had been shot in the shoulder, another gored in the hip
with a bayonet, and we left a young Briton dead on the shore. We
took our prisoners to Paleyville, and locked them overnight in the
blockhouse.

The channel was lighted by a big bonfire on the south bank, as we