gap in the great fence, when another
sharp volley rang out, but the smoke rose from outside.

"Help has come!" I shouted, and feeling no fear now of Morgan putting
his desperate plan into action, I ran to join our men and learn what it
meant, closely followed by Hannibal, Morgan coming last.

CHAPTER FIFTY ONE.

Our party was cheering loudly as I got up in time to see the Indians in
full flight toward the forest, and a strong force of men in pursuit,
stopping and kneeling from time to time to fire on the retreating
savages, who did not attempt to make a stand.

For some minutes I could not understand what it meant, nor who our
rescuers were, but directly after the word ran round from mouth to
mouth--"Spaniards--Spaniards!" and I turned to see a large ship lying in
the river as I ran back to our defences, and past the dead and wounded,
to bear my father the news.

"One enemy to save us from the other," said my father. "Well, better to
fall into the hands of civilised people than savages. In this case it
will be prison, in the other it would have been death."

"But shall we have to give up to them?" I said.

"In our helpless state I am afraid so, unless the General and Preston
hold that we are Englishmen still. Oh, if I could only get to their
side, and join in the council!"

"Hannibal carry capen," said the great black, who in strict obedience to
his orders was at my back.

"Can you?" cried my father, eagerly.

Hannibal smiled and took my father up as easily as if he had been a
child, starting to carry him just as Morgan came up.

"Stop!" said my father; "let me go in a more dignified way if I can.
Here, Morgan, pick up one of these fire-locks. Hannibal, my man, set me
down again;" and, after giving his orders, Morgan and the black each
took hold of one end of the firelock, holding it across him, and my
father sat upon it, supporting himself by passing his arms through those
of his bearers, and in this fashion he reached the group at the gap in
the fence. Here an earnest conversation was going on, while the
Spaniards were still in full pursuit of the Indians, chasing them right
into the forest, and their shots growing more and more distant.

"Ah," cried the General, as my father reached the group, "I am glad you
have come, Bruton. I feel bound in our present strait to take the
opinion of all. We are terribly shaken in our position; there are many
wounded, and the question we debate is, whether