t, so as we can see what we're about."

"Not zo much noise, Humpy Dee," said Pete sharply, as the light of three
lanthorns which had been carried beneath sacks gleamed out over the
water, and the light rapidly increased as dark figures could be seen
lighting torches from the feeble candles and then waving their sticks of
oakum and pitch to make them blaze, so that others could also start the
links they carried.

At first the light was feeble, and a good deal of black smoke arose, but
soon after over a dozen torches were burning brightly, showing quite a
little crowd of men, standing in the black water, armed with hooks and
fish-spears, and each with a stout staff stuck in his belt.

The scene was weird and strange, the light reflected from the cliff-like
sides of the pool seeming to be condensed upon the surface; and the
faces of the marauders gleamed strangely above the flashing water,
beginning to be agitated now by the startled salmon; while rising upward
there was a gathering cloud of black, stifling smoke.

"Ready there with that net," cried Humpy Dee, a broad-shouldered,
dwarfed man, whose head was deep down between his shoulders.

"Ay, ay!" came from the mouth of the pool.

"Less noise," cried Pete angrily. "Here, you, Jack Willick, and you,
Nat Barrow, go up towards the house and give us word if anyone's coming,
so as we may be ready."

"To run?" snarled Humpy Dee. "Stop where you are, lads. If the old
squire meant to come with his gang he'd ha' been here afore now, and--"

_Phee-yew_!

The Captain's shrill silver whistle rang out loudly at this instant, and
Nic and his men grasped their cudgels more tightly.

"Now for it, lads," he shouted, and he sprang from his ledge into the
water and made at Humpy Dee.

CHAPTER ELEVEN.

A BLACK NIGHT.

Nic's cry was answered by a loud cheer from his men, which seemed to
paralyse the enemy--some thirty strong, who stood staring, the
torch-bearers holding their smoky lights on high--giving the party from
the Point plenty of opportunity for picking their men, as they followed
their leader's example and leaped into the pool. This caused a rush of
the fish towards the lights for the most part, though many made for the
gap to follow the stream, shooting against the net, which was held
tightly in its place.

"There, go home, you set of ugly fools, before you're hurt," cried the
deformed man, with a snarl like that of a wild beast. "What! You will
have i