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with the black flag; and gave it a wave or two。  After that; the

Portuguese captain called out in shrill English; 〃I say you!

English fools!  Open the gate!  Surrender!〃



As we kept close and quiet; he said something to his men which I

didn't understand; and when he had said it; the one…eyed English

rascal with the patch (who had stepped out when he began); said it

again in English。  It was only this。  〃Boys of the black flag; this

is to be quickly done。  Take all the prisoners you can。  If they

don't yield; kill the children to make them。  Forward!〃  Then; they

all came on at the gate; and in another half…minute were smashing

and splitting it in。



We struck at them through the gaps and shivers; and we dropped many

of them; too; but; their very weight would have carried such a gate;

if they had been unarmed。  I soon found Sergeant Drooce at my side;

forming us six remaining marines in lineTom Packer next to meand

ordering us to fall back three paces; and; as they broke in; to give

them our one little volley at short distance。  〃Then;〃 says he;

〃receive them behind your breastwork on the bayonet; and at least

let every man of you pin one of the cursed cockchafers through the

body。〃



We checked them by our fire; slight as it was; and we checked them

at the breastwork。  However; they broke over it like swarms of

devilsthey were; really and truly; more devils than menand then

it was hand to hand; indeed。



We clubbed our muskets and laid about us; even then; those two

ladiesalways behind mewere steady and ready with the arms。  I

had a lot of Maltese and Malays upon me; and; but for a broadsword

that Miss Maryon's own hand put in mine; should have got my end from

them。  But; was that all?  No。  I saw a heap of banded dark hair and

a white dress come thrice between me and them; under my own raised

right arm; which each time might have destroyed the wearer of the

white dress; and each time one of the lot went down; struck dead。



Drooce was armed with a broadsword; too; and did such things with

it; that there was a cry; in half…a…dozen languages; of 〃Kill that

sergeant!〃 as I knew; by the cry being raised in English; and taken

up in other tongues。  I had received a severe cut across the left

arm a few moments before; and should have known nothing of it;

except supposing that somebody had struck me a smart blow; if I had

not felt weak; and seen myself covered with spouting blood; and; at

the same instant of time; seen Miss Maryon tearing her dress and

binding it with Mrs。 Fisher's help round the wound。  They called to

Tom Packer; who was scouring by; to stop and guard me for one

minute; while I was bound; or I should bleed to death in trying to

defend myself。  Tom stopped directly; with a good sabre in his hand。



In that same momentall things seem to happen in that same moment;

at such a timehalf…a…dozen had rushed howling at Sergeant Drooce。

The Sergeant; stepping back against the wall; stopped one howl for

ever with such a terrible blow; and waited for the rest to come on;

with such a wonderfully unmoved face; that they stopped and looked

at him。



〃See him now!〃 cried Tom Packer。  〃Now; when I could cut him out!

Gill!  Did I tell you to mark my words?〃



I implored Tom Packer in the Lord's name; as well as I could in my

faintness; to go to the Sergeant's aid。



〃I hate and detest him;〃 says Tom; moodily wavering。  〃Still; he is

a brave man。〃  Then he calls out; 〃Sergeant Drooce; Sergeant Drooce!

Tell me you have driven me too hard; and are sorry for it。〃



The Sergeant; without turning his eyes from his assailants; which

would have been instant death to him; answers。



〃No。  I won't。〃



〃Sergeant Drooce!〃 cries Tom; in a kind of an agony。  〃I have passed

my word that I would never save you from Death; if I could; but

would leave you to die。  Tell me you have driven me too hard and are

sorry for it; and that shall go for nothing。〃



One of the group laid the Sergeant's bald bare head open。  The

Sergeant laid him dead。



〃I tell you;〃 says the Sergeant; breathing a little short; and

waiting for the next attack; 〃no。  I won't。  If you are not man

enough to strike for a fellow…soldier because he wants help; and

because of nothing else; I'll go into the other world and look for a

better man。〃



Tom swept upon them; and cut him out。  Tom and he fought their way

through another knot of them; and sent them flying; and came over to

where I was beginning again to feel; with inexpressible joy; that I

had got a sword in my hand。



They had hardly come to us; when I heard; above all the other

noises; a tremendous cry of women's voices。  I also saw Miss Maryon;

with quite a new face; suddenly clap her two hands over Mrs。

Fisher's eyes。  I looked towards the silver…house; and saw Mrs。

Venningstanding upright on the top of the steps of the trench;

with her gray hair and her dark eyeshide her daughter's child

behind her; among the folds of her dress; strike a pirate with her

other hand; and fall; shot by his pistol。



The cry arose again; and there was a terrible and confusing rush of

the women into the midst of the struggle。  In another moment;

something came tumbling down upon me that I thought was the wall。

It was a heap of Sambos who had come over the wall; and of four men

who clung to my legs like serpents; one who clung to my right leg

was Christian George King。



〃Yup; So…Jeer;〃 says he; 〃Christian George King sar berry glad So…

Jeer a prisoner。  Christian George King been waiting for So…Jeer

sech long time。  Yup; yup!〃



What could I do; with five…and…twenty of them on me; but be tied

hand and foot?  So; I was tied hand and foot。  It was all over now

boats not come backall lost!  When I was fast bound and was put up

against the wall; the one…eyed English convict came up with the

Portuguese Captain; to have a look at me。



〃See!〃 says he。  〃Here's the determined man!  If you had slept

sounder; last night; you'd have slept your soundest last night; my

determined man。〃



The Portuguese Captain laughed in a cool way; and with the flat of

his cutlass; hit me crosswise; as if I was the bough of a tree that

he played with:  first on the face; and then across the chest and

the wounded arm。  I looked him steady in the face without tumbling

while he looked at me; I am happy to say; but; when they went away;

I fell; and lay there。



The sun was up; when I was roused and told to come down to the beach

and be embarked。  I was full of aches and pains; and could not at

first remember; but; I remembered quite soon enough。  The killed

were lying about all over the place; and the Pirates were burying

their dead; and taking away their wounded on hastily…made litters;

to the back of the Island。  As for us prisoners; some of their boats

had come round to the usual harbour; to carry us off。  We looked a

wretched few; I thought; when I got down there; still; it was

another sign that we had fought well; and made the enemy suffer。



The Portuguese Captain had all the women already embarked in the

boat he himself commanded; which was just putting off when I got

down。  Miss Maryon sat on one side of him; and gave me a moment's

look; as full of quiet courage; and pity; and confidence; as if it

had been an hour long。  On the other side of him was poor little

Mrs。 Fisher; weeping for her child and her mother。  I was shoved

into the same boat with Drooce and Packer; and the remainder of our

party of marines:  of whom we had lost two privates; besides

Charker; my poor; brave comrade。  We all made a melancholy passage;

under the hot sun over to the mainland。  There; we landed in a

solitary place; and were mustered on the sea sand。  Mr。 and Mrs。

Macey and their children were amongst us; Mr。 and Mrs。 Pordage; Mr。

Kitten; Mr。 Fisher; and Mrs。 Belltott。  We mustered only fourteen

men; fifteen women; and seven children。  Those were all that

remained of the English who had lain down to sleep last night;

unsuspecting and happy; on the Island of Silver…Store。







CHAPTER III {1}THE RAFTS ON THE RIVER







We contrived to keep afloat all that night; and; the stream running

strong with us; to glide a long way down the river。  But; we found

the night to be a dangerous time for such navigation; on account of

the eddies and rapids; and it was therefore settled next day that in

future we would bring…to at sunset; and encamp on the shore。  As we

knew of no boats that the Pirates possessed; up at the Prison in the

Woods; we settled always to encamp on the opposite side of the

stream; so as to have the breadth of the river between our sleep and

them。  Our opinion was; that if they were acquainted with any near

way by land to the mouth of this river; they would come up it in

force; and retake us or kill us; according as they could; but that

if that was not the case; and if the river ran by none of their

secret st

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