cur, either side would have most gladly assented to see its
especial favourite the victim.

Every man of that ruffian crew had a selfish interest in the result of
the threatened conflict; and this far outweighed any feeling of
partisanship with which he might have been inspired. A few may have
felt friendlier than others towards their respective champions; but to
the majority it mattered little which of the two men should die; and
there were even some who, in the secret chambers of their hearts, would
have reflected gleefully to behold both become victims of their
reciprocal hostility. Such a result would cause a still further
postponement of that unpopular lottery,--in which they had been too
often compelled to take shares.

There was no very great difference in the number of the "friends" on
either side. The partisans of the Frenchman would have far outnumbered
those of his Irish adversary, but ten minutes before. But the behaviour
of Le Gros in the lottery had lost him many adherents. That he had
played the trick imputed to him was by most believed; and as the result
of his unmanly subterfuge was of personal interest to all, there were
many, hitherto indifferent, now inspired with hostility towards him.

Apart from personal considerations,--even amongst that conglomeration of
outcasts,--there were some in whom the instinct of "fair-play" was not
altogether dead; and the foul play of the Frenchman had freshly aroused
this instinct within them.

As soon as the combatants had shown a fixed determination to engage in
deadly strife, the crowd upon the raft became separated, as if by
mechanical action, into two groups,--one forming in the rear of Le Gros,
the other taking stand behind the Irishman.

As already stated, there was no great inequality between them in point
of numbers; and as each occupied an end of the raft, the balance was
preserved, and the stage upon which the death drama was about to be
enacted--set horizontally--offered no advantage to either.

Knives were to be their weapons. There were others on the raft. There
were axes, cutlasses, and harpoons; but the use of these was prohibited
to either of the intended combatants: as nothing could be fairer than
the sailor's knife,--with which each was provided,--and no weapon in
close combat could be used with more certain or deadlier effect.

Each armed with his own knife, released from its lanyard fastenings in
order to be freely handled,--each wit