shrill, clear, and piercing, that he thought he had never
heard the match of it for audibility. It was blown once,
and then hurriedly a second time; and then the clash of
steel succeeded.

At this young Shelton pricked his ears, and drawing
his sword, ran forward up the hill.

Presently he came in sight of the cross, and was aware
of a most fierce encounter raging on the road before it.
There were seven or eight assailants, and but one to keep
head against them; but so active and dexterous was this
one, so desperately did he charge and scatter his oppo-
nents, so deftly keep his footing on the ice, that already,
before Dick could intervene, he had slain one, wounded
another, and kept the whole in check.

Still, it was by a miracle that he continued his defence,
and at any moment, any accident, the least slip of foot or
error of hand, his life would be a forfeit.

"Hold ye well, sir! Here is help!" cried Richard;
and forgetting that he was alone, and that the cry was
somewhat irregular, "To the Arrow! to the Arrow!" he
shouted, as he fell upon the rear of the assailants.

These were stout fellows also, for they gave not an inch
at this surprise, but faced about, and fell with astonishing
fury upon Dick. Four against one, the steel flashed about
him in the starlight; the sparks flew fiercely; one of the
men opposed to him fell--in the stir of the fight he
hardly knew why; then he himself was struck across the
head, and though the steel cap below his hood protected

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