"What shall we do now?" whispered the bigger man. "Do! I'm going to make my mark upon him, and then go home." "Well, you have, lad." "Ay, with a stick, but I'm going to do it with my knife;" and, as he spoke, the lesser of the two men drew his knife from its dagger-like sheath. "No, no, don't do that. Give him a good 'un on the head. No knife." "Yes, knife," said the lesser of the two. "He's had no mercy, and I'll have none. He's stunned, and won't feel it." "Don't do that, lad," whimpered the bigger man. "Ay, but I will," said the other, hoarsely; and, dropping on his knees, he seized the prostrate man by the ear, when the trembling wretch uttered a shriek of agony, making his assailants start away. "Did you do it, lad?" "Yes; I done it. I'm satisfied now. Let's go." "And leave him there?" "Why not? What mercy did he show? He was only shamming. Let him call for help now till someone comes." The bigger man uttered a grunt and followed his companion as he mounted the steep side of the lane, while, faint, exhausted, and bleeding now, Captain James Armstrong sank back and fainted away. CHAPTER SIX. BROUGHT TO BOOK. "You dare not deny it," cried Mary Dell, furiously, as she stood in the doorway of the cottage, facing her brother and Bart Wrigley, who attempted to escape, but were prevented by her barring the way of exit. Neither spoke, but they stood looking sullen and frowning like a couple of detected schoolboys. "No," she continued, "you dare not deny it. You cowards--lying in wait for an unarmed man!" "Why, he'd got a sword and pistols," cried Bart. "There!" shrieked Mary, triumphantly; "you have betrayed yourself, Bart. Now perhaps my brave brother will confess that he lay in wait in the dark for an unarmed man, and helped to beat him nearly to death." "You're a nice fellow to trust, Bart," said Abel, looking at his companion. "Betrayed yourself directly." "Couldn't help it," grumbled Bart. "She's so sharp upon a man." "You cowards!" cried Mary again. "Well, I don't know about being cowards," said Abel, sullenly. "He was mounted and had his weapons, and we had only two sticks." "Then you confess it was you? Oh! what a villain to have for a brother!" "Here, don't go on like that," cried Abel. "See how he has served you." "What's that to you?" cried Mary, fiercely. "If he jilted me and I forgive him, how dare you interfere?" "Phew!" whistled Bart to himself. "What a way she has!" "Why, any one would think you cared for him, Polly," said Abel, staring, while Bart whistled softly again, and wiped the heavy dew from his forehead. "Care for him!--I hate him!" cried Mary, passionately: "but do you think I wanted my own brother to go and take counsel with his big vagabond companion--" "Phew!" whistled Bart again, softly, as he perspired now profusely, and wiped his forehead with his fur cap.