pines, hitting a man heavily, who fell grunting.  We had begun to hear the rattle of boats, a shouting, and quick steps on the shore.  We crouched a moment.  D’ri blew the moose-horn, pulling me aside with him quickly after the blast.  Lights were now flashing near.  I could see little hope for us, and D’ri, I thought, had gone crazy.  He ran at the oncomers, yelling, “Hey, Rube!” at the top of his lungs.  I lay low in the brush a moment.  They rushed by me, D’ri in the fore with fending sabre.  A tawny hound was running in the lead, his nose down, baying loudly.  Then I saw the truth, and made after them with all the speed of my legs.  They hustled over the ridge, their lights flashing under.  For a jiffy I could see only, here and there, a leaping glow in the tree-tops.  I rushed on, passing one who had tumbled headlong.  The lights below me scattered quickly and stopped.  I heard a great yelling, a roar of muskets, and a clash of swords.  A hush fell on them as I came near, Then I heard a voice that thrilled me.

“Your sword, sir!” it commanded.

“Stop,” said I, sharply, coming near.

There stood my father in the lantern-light, his sword drawn, his gray hair stirring in the breeze.  Before him was my old adversary, his Lordship, sword in hand.  Near by, the squad of British, now surrounded, were giving up their arms.  They had backed to the river’s edge; I could hear it lapping their heels.  His Lordship sneered, looking at the veteran who stood in a gray frock of homespun, for all the world, I fancy, like one of those old yeomen who fought with Cromwell.

“Your sword, sir,” my father repeated.

“Pardon me,” said the young man, with a fascinating coolness of manner, “but I shall have to trouble you—­”

He hesitated, feeling his blade.

“How?” said my father.

“To fight for it,” said his Lordship, quietly.

“Surrender—­fool!” my father answered.  “You cannot escape.”

“Tut, tut!” said his Lordship.  “I never heard so poor a compliment.  Come in reach, and I shall make you think better of me.”

“Give up your sword.”

“After my life, then my sword,” said he, with a quick thrust.

Before I could take a step, their swords were clashing in deadly combat.  I rushed up to break in upon them, but the air was full of steel, and then my father needed no help.  He was driving his man with fiery vigor.  I had never seen him fight; all I had seen of 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.