"All right, sir!" mumbled the old seaman. "Give me cutlass room—all I ask!"
He put both hands to the wheels of his chair, and spun out into the open, hatchet in mouth.
As he did so, round the corner of the cottage swooped half a dozen yelling cut-throats.
"Take the Frenchman, sir!" roared the old man. "I'll tackle these—"
With a wrench, he slewed his chair, spun the wheels furiously, and shocked into the cloud of them.
The Grenadier launched at his back, bayonet at the charge.
"Coward!" gasped Kit, still five yards away, and flung his dirk.
It stuck in the ground at the man's feet, and tripped him. He plunged forward on hands and knees, and gathered himself as a wave about to break.
As he rose, Kit leapt on him, naked-handed.
The man was hurled through the open door, and brought up against the inner wall with an appalling shock.