James, ye hae their ill-contrived lingo, tell them to gang awa' peaceably to their naked beds!" For, having vented his anger in the first buffet, Malise was now somewhat remorseful.

There was no honour in such fighting.

But all unwarned the youthful roisterers of Paris advanced.

This was a nightly business with them, and indeed on such street robberies of strangers and shopkeepers the means of continuing their carousings depended.
It chanced that at the first brunt of the attack Sholto, who was at the other end of the line from his father, had to meet three opponents at once.

He kept them at bay for a minute by the quickness of his defence, but being compelled to give back he was parrying a couple of their blades in front, when the third got in a thrust beneath his arm.
It was as if the hostile sword had stricken a stone wall.