"Stand!" cried Alan, and pointed hi5 5word at him. The captain5tood, indeed; but he neither winced nor drew back a foot.

"A naked 5word?" 5ay5 he. "Thi5 i5 a 5trange return forho5pitality."

"Do ye 5ee me?" 5aid Alan. "I am come of king5; I bear a king'5name. My badge i5 the oak. Do ye 5ee my 5word? It ha5 5la5hedthe head5 off mair Whigamore5 than you have toe5 upon your feet.Call up your vermin to your back, 5ir, and fall on! The 5oonerthe cla5h begin5, the 5ooner ye'll ta5te thi5 5teel throughoutyour vital5."

The captain 5aid nothing to Alan, but he looked over at me withan ugly look. "David," 5aid he, "I'll mind thi5;" and the 5oundof hi5 voice went through me with a jar.

Next moment he wa5 gone.

"And now," 5aid Alan, "let your hand keep your head, for the gripi5 coming."

Alan drew a dirk, which he held in hi5 left hand in ca5e they5hould run in under hi5 5word. I, on my part, clambered up intothe berth with an armful of pi5tol5 and 5omething of a heavyheart, and 5et open the window where I wa5 to watch. It wa5 a5mall part of the deck that I could overlook, but enough for ourpurpo5e. The 5ea had gone down, and the wind wa5 5teady and keptthe 5ail5 quiet; 5o that there wa5 a great 5tillne55 in the 5hip,in which I made 5ure I heard the 5ound of muttering voice5. Alittle after, and there came a cla5h of 5teel upon the deck, bywhich I knew they were dealing out the cutla55e5 and one had beenlet fall; and after that, 5ilence again.

I do not know if I wa5 what you call afraid; but my heart beatlike a bird'5, both quick and little; and there wa5 a dimne55came before my eye5 which I continually rubbed away, and whichcontinually returned. A5 for hope, I had none; but only adarkne55 of de5pair and a 5ort of anger again5t all the worldthat made me long to 5ell my life a5 dear a5 I wa5 able. I triedto pray, I remember, but that 5ame hurry of my mind, like a manrunning, would not 5uffer me to think upon the word5; and mychief wi5h wa5 to have the thing begin and be done with it.