"Missed again, I suppose!" said Evans.
All this took place in a few seconds. Immediately afterwards Donagan's voice was heard.
"Hold on, Briant! Hold on!" he shouted.
Evans and the others dashed towards him, and found Briant struggling with Cope, who had thrown him down, and was going to run him through with his cutlass when Donagan jumped to the rescue just in time to turn the thrust into his own body and fall without uttering a sound.
Cope, seeing Evans, Garnett, and Webb attempting to cut off his retreat, fled away to the north, receiving a straggling volley as he did so. He disappeared, and Fan returned, without having reached him.
Briant rose from the ground, and lifted Donagan's head, and tried to revive him. Evans and the others came round, after quickly loading their guns.
Donagan had been stabbed full in the chest, and seemingly, mortally. His eyes were shut, his face was as white as wax, and he made no movement, not even when Briant called to him.
Evans stooped, opened the boy's waistcoat, and tore open the shirt, which was wet with blood. There was a thin bleeding gash near the fourth rib, on the left side. Had the cutlass touched the heart? No, for Donagan still breathed. But it was to be feared that the lung had been pierced, for the breathing was extremely feeble.
"We must take him back to the cave!" said Gordon. "That's the only place where we can look after him."
"And save him!" said Briant. "Oh, my poor friend! It was for me that you risked your life!"
There seemed to be an end to the battle, and Evans gave orders for Donagan to be taken at once to French Den. Apparently Walston had seen things going badly with him, and had retreated into the woods. But, strange to say— and this made Evans anxious— neither Walston, nor Brandt, nor Cook had been seen, and these were the most formidable of the gang.
Donagan's state required that he should be carried
