Now, they were both big men and of brawny build, and they no sooner found my hands at their throats than they began to fight desperately for their lives, so that one of them presently forced my hand away from his neck and strove to regain his feet. But my wits were now thoroughly at work, and as this man forced my hand away, I raised his fellow-villain’s head with the other hand and gave it such a knock against the stones that it cracked like an eggshell, and the man stiffened out and lay still. The one who had thought himself free had meanwhile drawn a knife, and I rose just in time to escape a blow aimed at my back. He came at me again as I got to my feet, but there fortunately lay close to hand a thick bar that had once been used as a swingletree, and with this I laid about the fellow’s head and shoulders to such purpose that he suddenly dropped his knife and ran howling for mercy towards the hills.
So now the fight was over, and it had all happened in very much less time than it has taken me to write down this account of it. I went into the house, and finding a lamp burning in a room where the men had evidently been eating their supper, carried it to Philip, who, sleeping amidst all the noise and clatter, had just begun to wake up and rub his eyes.
“Beshrew me, Will!” said he, as I bent over him with the lamp, “I fear I have slept a longer time than I thought to. Where are we, and what am I doing on the floor?”
“Wake up, sir,” said I impatiently. “We have been drugged and well-nigh murdered, and we have lost a whole day.”
He was on his feet in an instant then, and listened attentively while I told him what had happened. Then he took and shook my hand very earnestly.
“Well done, Will, well done indeed!” said he. “Alas! I am much to blame. We ought to have been more cautious of that old man. But let us have a look at our enemies.”
As for the old man, he was dead enough, and I could not for the life of me feel sorry for him, so villainous and crafty had been his conduct towards us. The other fellow lying outside was in bad case too, but not dead, so we lifted him inside the house and put him into a comfortable position, after which we left him and began to hunt for our money, finding it after considerable search hidden under a flag in the cellar. This done, we made for the stables, and lost no time in saddling our horses, for we were both impressed with the idea that there might be more of these murderers, and that the third fellow had fled to seek assistance.
When we led the horses out of the stable and mounted them at the gate, the moon had just risen and the valley was full of clear, silver light. We were about to ride away, when we suddenly caught the sound of horsemen advancing along a bridle-path that lay to the west. Soon we heard the sound of voices, mingling with the clank of bit and stirrup, so that we felt sure there was a troop of horse upon us.
“Draw behind the wall, Will, and let them go by,” said Philip. “If they are of our own party we will hail them: if not, we will let them go in peace.”
So we drew behind the wall of the granary, and the troop came along at a smart walk, and we heard the men laughing and talking.
“Old Benny’s farmstead,” said one of the foremost, “is going to rack and ruin. Let us whistle him out.”
“Nay,” said another, “let the old fox sleep in his hole. I had as lief set eyes on the devil as on his evil face.”
“Forward, lads, forward!” cried a voice from the rear.
“We are not making such speed as we ought. Trooper Baxendale, lead on a little faster.”
Now, I had no sooner heard that voice than I gave a great start, and would have leaped forward if Philip Lisle had not held me with a strong hand. For the voice was the voice of Captain Trevor. “Silence, Will, silence!” whispered Philip. “Do naught rashly. Leave it to me and command thyself. See, here he comes.”
And looking out from the barn wall we saw Captain Trevor distinctly enough in the moonlight, as he rode at the tail of his little troop of twenty men. He passed by us, and then Philip rode out into the lane and hailed him.
“Hola! Captain Trevor.”
He turned sharply and stared in our direction, and his men drew rein and the horses stopped and stood champing their bits.
“Who calls?” said he, as we drew nearer.
“ ’Tis I, your old acquaintance, Philip Lisle, and here is with me Will Dale.”
“Master Lisle—and Will Dale, my dear Will Dale! Gentlemen, indeed I cannot think what brings you into this wild region, but ’tis for my better fortune,
