"You will learn," he added, smiling, with a tone of encouragement.
"Let me show you a trick."
He was most polite in his manner, like a play-hero, and came toward
me as he spoke. Then I saw four other Britishers coming out to
close in upon us from behind trees.
He came at me quickly, and I met him. He seemed to think it would
be no trick to unhand my weapon. Like a flash, with a whip of his
sabre, he tried to wrench it away. D'ri had begun to shoot,
dodging between trees, and a redcoat had tumbled over. I bore in
upon my man, but he came back at me with surprising vigor. On my
word, he was the quickest swordsman I ever had the honor of facing.
But he had a mean way of saying "Ha!" as he turned my point. He
soon angered me, whereupon I lost a bit of caution, with some
blood, for he was at me like a flash, and grazed me on the hip
before I could get my head again. It was no parlor play, I can
tell you. We were fighting for life, and both knew it. We fought
up and down through brakes and bushes and over stones--a perilous
footing. I could feel his hand weakening. I put all my speed to
the steel then, knowing well that, barring accident, I should win.
I could hear somebody coming up behind me.
"Keep away there," my adversary shouted, with a fairness I admire
when I think of it. "I can handle him. Get the other fellow."