"In time—by th' Heart, in time!" he cried.
As if in answer to him, a swift, clear shout came up the moor, over the sun-bright sweep of ling.
"Wayne and the Dog. Hold to it, Ned! Hold to it."
Wayne knew the boyish voices, and his heart leaped, but he dared not let his eyes wander until the cry had been thrice repeated, until his adversary had given back for dread of the new foe. Red Ratcliffe, at the same moment, stopped half toward Hiram Hey, turning his eyes on the upcoming horsemen; then he raced for his horse, and sprang to saddle, and joined his hesitating band of comrades.
"Begow, that's a let-off, an' proper," said Hiram Hey, scarce comprehending yet that he was safe.
For a moment a silence as of night held the Ratcliffes, while they watched the four Wayne lads charge gaily up the slope, plucking their swords free of the scabbard as they rode.
"On to them; they'll break at the first onset," muttered Red Ratcliffe, and galloped down to meet them.
For the first time Shameless Wayne's heart grew soft and his nerve weak. They were over young, these lads who had been left to his care, to fight with grown men; what if one of them were slain in saving the life he had gladly given up a while since? But that passed; breathing again, he felt new strength in his arm, and as he crashed headlong in at the rear of the down-sweeping band, he swore that this thing should not be.
"Wayne and the Dog!" cried Griff, as he made at the foremost Ratcliffe.
"Wayne and the Dog!" roared Ned from the rear, and cleft the nearest Ratcliffe through the skull. And even as he wrenched his blade free, he laughed to mark with what elderly and sober glee these youngsters waged their maiden battle.