When we passed it a while ago we thought that we heard robbers behind us, and in Venice, as we are told, such men use knives." "Thank you for your warning, Sir Hugh," and even beneath the shadow of the silk hood Hugh thought that he saw his eyes smile, and seeing, remembered all the folly of such talk.
"Yet I'll risk these robbers.

Do you two and the lad keep behind me," he added in a sterner voice.
So they advanced down the narrow street, the man called Murgh going first, Hugh, Grey Dick and the lad following meekly behind him.

As they entered its shadows a low whistle sounded, but nothing happened for a while.

When they had traversed about half its length, however, men, five or six of them in all, darted out of the gloom of a gateway and rushed at them.

The faint light showed that they were masked and gleamed upon the blue steel of the daggers in their hands.