aside. "I will teach him our ways so that he will not soon forget them."

Close to Myles's feet was another clog like that one which Blunt held.
He snatched it up, and set his back against the wall, with a white face
and a heart beating heavily and tumultuously, but with courage steeled
to meet the coming encounter. There was a hard, grim look in his blue
eyes that, for a moment perhaps, quelled the elder lad. He hesitated.
"Tom! Wat! Ned!" he called to the other bachelors, "come hither, and
lend me a hand with this knave."

"An ye come nigh me," panted Myles, "I will brain the first within
reach."

Then Gascoyne dodged behind the others, and, without being seen, slipped
out of the room for help.

The battle that followed was quick, sharp, and short. As Blunt strode
forward, Myles struck, and struck with might and main, but he was too
excited to deliver his blow with calculation. Blunt parried it with the
clog he held, and the next instant, dropping his weapon, gripped Myles
tight about the body, pinning his arms to his sides.

Myles also dropped the clog he held, and, wrenching out his right
arm with a sudden heave, struck Blunt full in the face, and then with
another blow sent him staggering back. It all passed in an instant; the
next the three other bachelors were upon him, catching him by the body,
the arms, the legs. For a moment or two they swayed and stumbled hither
and thither, and then down they fell in a struggling heap.

Myles fought like a wild-cat, kicking, struggling, scratching; striking