He spoke no word, but his face grew dark and his great eyebrows were drawn together.

His mouth was half open, as if he were about to yell or swear.

Then suddenly his right hand fell upon the hilt of his cutlass, and the great blade flashed in the air.

He gave one bound towards Bonnet, and in the same second the cutlass came down like a stroke of lightning.

But Bonnet had been a soldier and had learned how to use his sword; the cutlass was caught on his quick blade and turned aside.