Twice more he rushed on thus and twice he smote, but each time Leonard ran backward towards the drawbridge, that now was not more than twenty yards away.
A fourth time the Portugee came on, and the Englishman could not repeat his tactics, for the mob hemmed him in behind.

On sped Xavier and smote his hardest: Leonard saw the steel gleam in the moonlight and lifted his sword to guard.

The blow fell, fire sprang from it in sparks, and down rattled fragments of shattered steel.

His sword was broken.
"Fight on, Baas," said the voice of Otter, "fight on! Both swords have gone." Leonard looked up.

It was true: the Portugee was casting aside his broken weapon and clutching at his knife.