There was, however, no other course open to them, for when they attempted to leave the hut a big man armed with a matchet who kept watch outside informed them it was the Headman's pleasure that they should stay there until he was at liberty to talk to them.
"Long Odds"
Harold Bindloss
Ormsgill, pressing onwards with them, saw that he had now a matchet in his hand, though he had no recollection of how it came there.
"Long Odds"
Harold Bindloss
What he did next he knew no more than those about him probably did, but when at length he reeled out of the smoke-filled building and down the stairway the matchet was no longer in his hand, and he wondered vaguely that there was so far as he could discover not a scratch on him.
"Long Odds"
Harold Bindloss