ner of the room where they had
deposited them. Among these I recognised Dan Hoolan. Bestowing a not
very complimentary epithet on Larry and me, he flourished his hanger and
dared any one to come on and touch him.

"I and my friends here are not seamen," he exclaimed. "You're after
trying to press some of the poor fellows, I suppose; but if any man
tries to lay hands on me, he'll be wise to say his prayers before he
begins."

"I intend to lay hands on you, and every fellow I find here," said Mr
Saunders. "Drop your hanger, or you'll have to repent the day you drew
it."

Hoolan answered with a scornful laugh, and made a blow at the
lieutenant, who, however, parried it.

At that moment the door behind him was burst open, and in rushed
Nettleship and his party, who threw themselves at once upon Hoolan. The
outlaw fired his pistol at my head, but fortunately his arm was thrown
up, and the ball struck the ceiling. His men, seeing their leader
overpowered, made but little resistance. But we had not yet got the men
whose capture was desired. Mr Saunders, leaving Nettleship to secure
those below, followed Larry and me up the stairs.

In the meantime the female part of the assemblage, some of whom had
retired to different parts of the room, were saluting us with the most
fearful cries and execrations. The lieutenant, however, took no more
notice of them than if they had been so many lambs bleating, and at once
hurried up the stairs to the room above, where we found well-nigh a
score of men, some trying to make their way out of the window, but
which, having been closed, they had only just then succeeded in opening;
others hiding inside the beds or under them. Three or four got away,
but the remainder were knocked over by our men, or captured without
resistance, scarcely any attempting to defend themselves. Our success
had been as complete as could have been hoped for. Our captives were
quickly dragged down the stairs, when Mr Saunders ordered the women to
clear out of the house forthwith, and proceeded to lash the hands of the
men behind their backs. It was very easy to give the order to the
women, but not so easy to get it obeyed. They shrieked and abused us in
a way in which few of the female sex can beat the lower orders of my
countrywomen. At length, however, finding that their eloquence had no
effect, they retreated through the door that we had left open. It
turned out that the means of escape were not s