I knew the seaman's trick of throwing, having seen their brawls at the pier of Leith, and I had no notion for the steel in my throat.

The man was far beyond me in size and strength, so I dared not close with him.

Instead, I gave him the point of my staff with all my power straight in the midriff.

The knife slithered harmlessly over my shoulder, and he fell backwards into the heather.
There was no time to be lost, for the whole clan came round me like a flock of daws.

One of the men, the slim lad, had a pistol, but I saw by the way he handled it that it was unprimed.