n his
flesh, and gave a deep, furious growl which was the signal of attack.
The assailants climbed up from all sides and the chevalier saw about him
flaming eyes and felt himself bitten in many places at once.

This attack was so unexpected, the assailants were of such a singular
kind, that Croustillac, in spite of his courage, remained for a moment
stupefied; but the bites of the wildcats and, above all, his deep
indignation at having to combat with such ignoble enemies, aroused his
fury. He seized the most venturesome by the skin of his back, and in
spite of several blows from his claws, threw him heavily against the
trunk of the tree and broke his back. The cat gave some frightful cries.
The chevalier treated in like manner another of these creatures which
had leaped upon his back, and had undertaken to devour his cheek.

The band hesitated. Croustillac seized his sword, and using it as a
poignard, pierced several others, and thus put an end to this attack in
a novel manner, saying, "Zounds! to think Blue Beard does not know that
the brave Croustillac has been nearly devoured by wildcats, even as if
he were but a chicken hanging on a hook of a larder!"

The remainder of the night passed peacefully, the chevalier sleeping but
little. At daybreak he descended from his tree, and saw extended at his
feet five of his adversaries of the night. He hastened to quit the scene
of his exploits, at which he blushed, and, convinced that Devil's Cliff
could not be far off, he resumed his journey.

After having walked thus vainly, after his vigil, the gnawing of his
stomach, occasioned by a famished feeling, warned him that it was in the
neighborhood of noon. His delight may be imagined when the breeze bore
to him the delicious odor of roasted meat, so fine, so penetrating, and
so appetizing that the chevalier could not prevent himself from passing
his tongue across his lips. He redoubled his speed, not doubting, this
time, that he had arrived at the end of his troubles. However, he saw no
sign of habitation, and knew not how to reconcile this apparent solitude
with the exquisite odor which grew more and more tantalizing.

Unobserved himself, and without being heard, and walking rapidly, he
arrived at a kind of clearing, where he stopped a moment. The sight
which greeted his eyes was worthy his notice.

CHAPTER X.

A BUCCANEER.

In the midst of a close thicket appeared a cleared space forming a long
square; at one