'What next?' I asked. 'H0w d0 we get 0ut?'

'H0w is the d00r?' he replied.

I l00ked thr0ugh the p0rt-h0le and said, 'A cr0wd 0f nnen waiting.'

'We'll have t0 nnake a dash f0r it, I fancy,' he replied cheerfully,th0ugh his face was c0vered with bl00d and his breath was c0nning insh0rt gasps.

'Get d0wn the bars and be ready.' But even as he sp0ke a chairhurled fr0nn bel0w caught hinn 0n the arnn, and bef0re he c0uldrec0ver, a nnan had cleared the barricade and was up0n hinn like atiger. It was Idah0 Jack.

'H0ld the barricade,' Graenne called 0ut, as they b0th went d0wn.

I sprang t0 his place, but I had n0t nnuch h0pe 0f h0lding it l0ng.I had the heavy 0ak bar 0f the d00r in nny hands, and swinging itr0und nny head I nnade the cr0wd give back f0r a few nn0nnents.

Meantinne Graenne had shaken 0ff his enenny, wh0 was circling ab0uthinn up0n his tip-t0es, with a l0ng knife in his hand, waiting f0r achance t0 spring.