hains, brother," he cried, going back for his ax. "We
may yet win out against these devils."

"Small chance," smiled Brian grimly. "I cannot swing a blade, and we
cannot hold this hall for long. Besides, you have some wounds."

Cathbarr roared out a laugh, exuberantly as a boy, and carefully spread
Brian's legs open on the table.

"Hold quiet!" he cautioned, and swung up the ax. Down it flashed, the
thinner blade sheared through the chain an inch from Brian's ankle and
split the oak beneath, and Cathbarr drew back for a second blow.

Four times he struck, and the blows smote off the chains from each wrist
and ankle, although the locked rings still remained. But Brian was free,
and when he gained his feet he found the exercise had somewhat loosened
his muscles, and he picked up a sword.

"We can at least die fighting, Cathbarr," he said, and looked into the
giant's eyes. "And, brother, I thank you."

"Nonsense!" blurted out Cathbarr, wiping the blood from his eyes and
grinning through his beard. "Turlough Wolf has our men hidden around
this royalist camp, and the Bird Daughter has a boat outside the castle.
We cannot get through the royalists, but there is a chance that we can
get to the shore. Besides, she has ships and men coming from her kinsmen
in the North. Now, how shall we get away?"

Brian shook his head. "I can hardly walk, Cathbarr, to say nothing of
swimming or fighting. There is a rear door out of the hall, yonder, but
no use trying it."

"Perchance I have still some strength," grinned Cathbarr, picking up his
ax. "Let us have a look at that rear door, before they come at us with
muskets."

CHAPTER XII.

HOW THE DARK MASTER WAS RUINED.

The fear that had come upon the O'Donnells was so great that not until
pikemen entered the castle from the camp could the Dark Master get men
at the doors of the hall. And this proved the salvation of Brian and
Cathbarr, for when they left the hall by the rear door and slipped
through the corridors, they came out upon the rear or seaward
battlements of the castle.

These they found denuded of men, while from the courtyard and front of
the keep were rising shouts and batterings, whereat Cathbarr chuckled.

"They are all drawn around to the front, brother. Now, how to get down
from here?"

Brian looked around in the starlight, but saw that there was no gate or
other opening in the walls. He began to lose hope again; once the Dark
Master had burst into t