For a moment Wildfire Ned paused in the combat and looked upon his opponent with wonder.
“He must be a devil,” thought Ned, “or my last blow would have cleaved him to the earth.”
“Ha! ha!” growled the skeleton, as he rushed at his enemy again, “one more victim for our gibbet!”
“Never!” said Ned, aloud, and with an angry oath.
The fight was again renewed, and now with still greater bitterness and fury.
Ned was getting weaker and weaker.
His rival, however, danced around him as nimbly as ever, and every limb seemed to be acting on springs.
He struck at Ned repeatedly, but could not do more than draw blood.
It seemed impossible to hit Ned Warbeck in any vital part, for he was so well guarded with his weapon.
He bled, however, as we have said, and the sight of gore seemed to act like electricity on the skeleton guard, who shrieked aloud with joy.