was engaged in a fierce hand-to-hand conflict.
Several firearms had flashed off almost in his face. One of the
soldiers fell with a sharp cry, but those who were following rushed
forward. Ralph narrowly escaped having his brains dashed out by a
clubbed rifle, but springing back just in time he ran his opponent
through before he could recover his guard.

Just at this moment a big man with a shock of red hair and a huge
beard leveled a blunderbuss at him. It flashed across him that his
last moment had come, when a man behind leaped suddenly upon the
ruffian's back and they fell to the ground together, the blunderbuss
going off in the fall and riddling a soldier standing next to Ralph
with slugs.

For two or three minutes a desperate struggle went on between Ralph
and his six men and those who attempted to break through them.
Sturdily as the soldiers fought they had been driven back toward the
entrance by the assailants, armed with pikes and clubbed guns. There
was no sound of conflict at the other end of the cave, and Ralph felt
that the attack there had for some reason failed.

"Shoulder to shoulder, lads!" he shouted. "We shall have help in a
minute or two."

He had emptied both his double-barrelled pistols. His sword had just
broken short in his hand while guarding his head from a heavy blow. He
himself had been almost struck to the ground, when there was a rush of
men from behind, and the rest of the soldiers poured in.

"Give them a volley, lads!" he shouted; "and then charged them with
the bayonets!"

The muskets rang out, and then there was a shout of "We surrender! we
surrender!"

A minute later the men were disarmed. There was still a desperate
struggle going on on the ground.

"Here, lads," Ralph said to two of his men. "Secure this red fellow,
he is their leader. One of you bring a torch here."

The light was brought. It was seen that the man who had sprung upon
the Red Captain's back had pinioned his arms to his sides, and held
them there in spite of the efforts of the ruffian to free himself. Two
of the soldiers took off their belts and fastened them together,
passed them between the back of the man and his captor, and then
strapped his arms firmly to his side. The man who held them then
released his grip.

"Stand over him with fixed bayonets, and if he moves run him through.
Now, where's Captain O'Connor?"

"I don't know, sir. He and Mr. Desmond and the naval officer went down
the hole in fro