answered him from the rest. Next instant
Brian and Cathbarr had their weapons out and were facing an excited
crowd of men.

"Be silent, dogs!" bellowed Cathbarr, and his voice quelled the uproar.
"What means this attack? Would you have the Bird Daughter strip you with
whips, fools?"

The spokesman stood out, his dark face quivering with fury as he
pointed.

"That is as it may be, axman, but first those bound men shall die. One
is the man who slew my brother, nailing him to his own door till he
died; another is he who burned Lame Art's wife and child last
Whit-Sunday--"

"There is he who lopped my husband's hands and nose! Slay him!" shrieked
out a hag as she burst forward. Brian held out his sword and she drew
back, but instantly others had taken up the cry.

"And the devil who hung Blind Ulick!"

"There is he who--"

In that brief moment Brian heard things too horrible for speech. The ten
bound men had grouped together, some pale as death, others laughing
defiantly. But as the crowd surged forward Brian held up his sword, and
they paused to listen; he knew now that there was no more pity in his
heart for these black ruffians of O'Donnell's.

"Let the Bird Daughter render judgment upon them," he shouted. "Friends,
take us to the Bird Daughter and let her do as she will, for I bear
these men to her alone."

At that the crowd fell silent, but their leader gave a rapid order, and
half a dozen men ran down to the strand. Another order, and the maddened
villagers gave back as the seamen closed about Brian and Cathbarr and
their captives.

"Come," said the leader roughly. "You shall go to Gorumna Isle with us,
strange men, but I do not think that you shall ever come back again."

"Nor do I," grinned Cathbarr in the ear of Brian, as they left their
horses to the fishermen, unbound the prisoners from their steeds, and
made their way down to the galley. Brian looked at his friend, and they
both smiled grimly.

CHAPTER VII.

THE BIRD DAUGHTER.

"Now, _there_ is a castle worth the taking, Yellow Brian!" said
Cathbarr.

Brian nodded, his eyes shining in the starlight. After a pull of a long
seven miles down the bay, the galley had rounded into the northern end
of Gorumna Isle, guided by a high beacon set among the stars. As they
drew nearer Brian made out that this beacon was set on the tower of a
high pile of masonry black against the sky, lit here and there by
cressets, and it was plain that the Bird