Blair Collection > Celtic monthly > Volume 6, 1898

THE CELTIC MONTHLY.
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his services. The stranger did not pretend to be
an expert sailor, but promised that he would be
obedient, aud would serve his master as well as
he was able ; and James soon formed a great
attachment for the young man, who was careful
aud active, and performed his duties well.
After one or two little trips, they sailed their
ship past the Mull, and went on till they found
themselves off the great city of Dnblin, which
ranks as the capital of the Irish kingdom. Being
in want of a bag of potatoes and other necessaries,
James sent his man on shore to procure them.
As he was returning with his burden, he met a
champion, who was parading the streets, beating
his drum, ehallengiug the city to produce him an
antagonist, aud imposing a sum of money upon
the city ; for it was the law of those days that,
if a successful antagonist could not be found for
the champion, the city should pay him the
ransom. Tlie young sailor, coming down the
streets with his burden over his shoulder, pushed
the champion on one side, telling him that he
ought to have the good sense to leave the way
open to one with a burden. The champi(jn
stop|ied beating his drum, and said —
' I take that as a challenge.'
' You may take it, and welcome, said the
young sailor.
' Then cut me this glove,' said the champion,
as he took it from his belt.
The young sailor cut it : which was the form
thej' had of accepting a challenge. Then they
fixed the time and place for the combat; and it
was agreed that they should fight it, with sword
in hand, on a stage in front of the City Hall, at
twelve o'clock on the morrow. So the young
sailor went away with his burden to the vessel ;
and the champion went lound the town, beating
his drum, and inviting the people to come and
witness the fight, on the next day, between
himself and a Highland sailor.
Now, the young man did not let his master
know what he intended to do; but James knew
his purpose, having received information from
others. So, wishful to save his servant's life, he
gave him orders at once to prepare for sea ; but
the young man refused, for the first time, to obey
him. James was sorry; for he was sadly afraid
that his servant would be killed, and he did not
wish to lose his services.
In the morning the young sailor arose and
opened his trunk, and took out of it a sword and
a fine suit of tartan, which he had kept there
concealed, and which bis master had never set
eyes on. He dressed himself in his tartan, aud
proved that his sword was of the best steel by
beniiing it quite round his body. James was
naturally somewhat comforted when he saw
this ; for he thought that his servant appeared to
know the use of his weapon ; and, as he seemed
such a fine, brave fellow in his tartan, he might
possibly contrive to save his life from the skill
and strength of the champion. The young
Highland sailor walked, with a quick step, up to
the City Hall, where a great crowd of people
and the town council were assembled to witness
the combat. The stage was ready prepared, and
the champion was the first to mount it. He
capered from one end of it to the other, displaying
his agility. The town council pitied the young
sailor, and gave him a glass of wine; telling him
that they feared it would be his last ; for they
considered him to be no fit match for so formid-
able an antagonist. The young man, however,
was not a whit afraid ; for he had more know-
ledge of the sword than they were aware of; and
he gaily mounted the stage and went ihrough
the usual form of shaking hands with the
champion.
Then the combat began. At first, the cham-
])iou capered about, making light of his op])onent;
but he soon found that this would not do, and
that the Highland sailor must be vanquished
with hard fighting, and not with tricks : so he
slashed and lunged at him in earnest. The
young sailor, at first, stood on the defensive,
warding off the champion's blows and guarding-
himself, until he had discovered the full amount
of skill possessed by his antagonist. The crowd
beg'au to jeer at the champion for not making
quicker work of the Highlander ; and the cham-
pion, stung by their taunts, got furious, and cut
and slashed desperately, trying to close with the
youtig man and to bring him to his knees by
sheer strength. But he did not know of what
thews and sinews the Highlander was made ;
and the harder he strove to get in his sword, the
farther he seemed from his purpose. The young
sailor parried every blow. His eye was like a
hawk's; and he stood like a rock. The cham-
pion stepped back and wiped the sweat from
his face, the while the crowd jeered him more
than ever ; and cries were now raised that the
Highlander would win. Up to this time there
had been no blood shed, and there was not a
scratch upon either of the fighters ; for the
young sailor had contented himself with guarding
his own body, and not wounding his opponent.
But when the champion stepped forward aud
desperately renewed the combat, then it \va8 a
sight, indeed, to see the young Highland sailor.
He no longer stood there to parry thrusts and
cuts ; but he dashed at the champion with his
trusty steel, making it gleam like lightning
around him, and confusing his antagonist with
the swiftness of his strokes. Darting nimbly
aside, as the champion dealt a swinging stroke
that was intended to strike off his sword arm,
he whirled his keen weapon in the air, and, with
one stroke, so completely severed the champion's