Then they all shouted with one voice , and closed upon the enemy . These , lying widely scattered , stiff with cold , and taken at unawares , sprang stupidly to their feet , and stood undecided . Before they had time to get their courage about them , or even to form an idea of the number and mettle of their assailants , a similar shout of onslaught sounded in their ears from the far side of the enclosure . Thereupon they gave themselves up for lost and ran . In this way the two small troops of the men of the Black Arrow closed upon the sea front of the garden wall , and took a part of the strangers , as it were , between two fires ; while the whole of the remainder ran for their lives in different directions , and were soon scattered in the darkness . For all that , the fight was but beginning . Dick 's outlaws , although they had the advantage of the surprise , were still considerably outnumbered by the men they had surrounded . The tide had flowed , in the meanwhile ; the beach was narrowed to a strip ; and on this wet field , between the surf and the garden wall , there began , in the darkness , a doubtful , furious , and deadly contest . The strangers were well armed ; they fell in silence upon their assailants ; and the affray became a series of single combats . Dick , who had come first into the mellay , was engaged by three ; the first he cut down at the first blow , but the other two coming upon him , hotly , he was fain to give ground before their onset . One of these two was a huge fellow , almost a giant for stature , and armed with a two-handed sword , which he brandished like a switch . Against this opponent , with his reach of arm and the length and weight of his weapon , Dick and his bill were quite defenceless ; and had the other continued to join vigorously in the attack , the lad must have indubitably fallen . This second man , however , less in stature and slower in his movements , paused for a moment to peer about him in the darkness , and to give ear to the sounds of the battle . The giant still pursued his advantage , and still Dick fled before him , spying for his chance . Then the huge blade flashed and descended , and the lad , leaping on one side and running in , slashed sideways and upwards with his bill . A roar of agony responded , and , before the wounded man could raise his formidable weapon , Dick , twice repeating his blow , had brought him to the ground . The next moment he was engaged , upon more equal terms , with his second pursuer . Here there was no great difference in size , and though the man , fighting with sword and dagger against a bill , and being wary and quick of fence , had a certain superiority of arms , Dick more than made it up by his greater agility on foot . Neither at first gained any obvious advantage ; but the older man was still insensibly profiting by the ardour of the younger to lead him where he would ; and presently Dick found that they had crossed the whole width of the beach , and were now fighting above the knees in the spume and bubble of the breakers . Here his own superior activity was rendered useless ; he found himself more or less at the discretion of his foe ; yet a little , and he had his back turned upon his own men , and saw that this adroit and skilful adversary was bent upon drawing him farther and farther away .
XXXXX ground his teeth .
Dick affray ardour attack combats dagger first mellay second unawares