“You coward!” he roared. “Take that!” and quick as a flash Nic made out that he struck at some one else, and attributed the side-blow in his defence to Solly, who was, he believed, close by.
At that moment a loud, imperious voice from somewhere in front and above shouted, so that the rocks echoed:
“Hold hard below there!”
Nic involuntarily lowered his cudgel and stood panting, giddy, and sick, listening.
“Yah! never mind him,” roared Humpy. “You, Pete, I’ll pay you afterwards.”
“Now, boys, down with you.”
“The poachers’ companions,” cried one of Nic’s men, and they stepped forward to the attack again, when a pistol-shot rang out and was multiplied by the rocky sides of the arena, making the combatants pause, so that the voice from above was plainly heard:
“Below there, you scoundrels! Surrender in the king’s name. You are surrounded.”
“Brag, my lads!” roared Humpy Dee. “Stand to it, boys, and haul the beggars out.”
There was a moment’s pause, just enough for the next words to be heard: