It was hard to see what took place; but as Bayle ran down the slope, his heart beating fast with apprehension, the man dropped, and Bayle had just time to strike one blow on the young officer's behalf, as the convicts closed him in, and bore him back against the scarped face of the little ravine. It was only one blow, but it was given with the full force of a strong arm and had the weight of a well-built man rushing down a steep slope to give it additional force. The result was that the man Bayle struck, and another behind him, went rolling over--the former just as he had raised a spade to strike at Eaton's defenceless head. "You cowardly dogs!" roared Bayle, as, failing another weapon, he caught up a spade one of the convicts had let fall. The attack was so sudden and unexpected that the men gave way, and stood glaring for a few moments, till one of their number shouted: "It's only the parson, boys. Down with 'em!" But they did not come on, and, taking advantage of their hesitation, Bayle turned to Eaton. "Quick!" he said, "get away from here." "No," said the young officer hoarsely. "I can't leave my men. Ah!" He uttered a sharp cry, and sank down, for a piece of stone had been hurled at him with force enough to dislocate his shoulder, half stunning him with the violence of the blow. As the young man fell the convicts uttered a yell of delight, all three of their adversaries being now _hors de combat_; but they were not satisfied, one of their number rushing forward to deliver a cowardly blow with the stone-hammer he bore. Bayle did not realise for the moment that so brutal an act could be committed upon a fallen adversary, and he was so much off his guard that he only had time to make a snatch at the handle, and partly break the force of the blow, which fell on Eaton's cap. Then there was a quick struggle, and the convict staggered, tripped over a loose block of stone, and fell with a crash. There was an ominous murmur here, and the men stood hesitating, each disposed to make a rush and revenge the fall of his companion; but there was no leader to combine the force and lead them on, and, taking advantage of their hesitation, Bayle stooped down, lifted the insensible man, and strode away. The convicts were taken by surprise at this act, and some were for fetching him back, but the remainder were for letting him go. "Take the swaddy's guns, lads, and let's be off at once," said one of the party, and the two muskets were seized, a convict presenting the bayonet of the piece he had secured at the breast of one of the fallen men, both of whom lay half-stunned and bleeding on the rough ground. "Shall I, boys?" he said. "No; hold hard," cried a voice, and a member of the party who had been in pursuit of the other portion of the guard came up. "Tie them hand and foot, and leave them so as they can't give warning. Who's that going up the hill?" "Parson and the orficer," said one of the men. "And who's that running yonder?"