o elaborate as had been
supposed, and, as far as we could learn, all the men in the
neighbourhood had on this occasion collected at Mother McCleary's. Most
of those we had captured behaved quietly enough, but Hoolan and two or
three others made violent efforts to escape, till a prog or two from a
cutlass compelled them to be quiet.

"And what are you going to do with me, a landsman who never was to sea
in his life?" exclaimed Hoolan.

"We shall turn you into a sailor before long, my fine fellow," answered
Mr Saunders. "You'll be wiser to walk along, and quietly too, as we've
no time for nonsense."

Our prisoners were now marshalled, in most cases with a seaman to attend
to each. Hoolan had two to look after him, though one guard sufficed
for some of the more peaceably disposed. Nettleship led the way, and
Mr Saunders and I brought up the rear, Larry being employed in guarding
a fellow twice his size, with orders to cut him down if he made any
resistance.

"We must be out of this as fast as we can," said Mr Saunders to me,
"for very likely those fellows who made their escape will rouse their
friends, and we may have a mob of all the ruffians in the town upon us
before we can reach the boats."

What had become of Mother McCleary and her assistants we could not tell.
She probably thought it wise to keep out of the way, lest any of her
late guests might suspect her of betraying them, as she probably had
done. We had not got more than half-way towards the boats, when our
ears were saluted by a chorus of yells and shrieks, and we could
distinguish through the gloom on either side of us a mass of human
beings, apparently intending to attempt the rescue of our prisoners.

"I warn you, good people, that if you come nearer, I'll give my men
orders to fire on you," shouted my lieutenant.

A volley of wild yells burst from the mob, sufficient to unnerve many
who had not before heard such cries. Directly afterwards a brickbat
flew past my head, aimed, no doubt, at the more prominent figure of the
lieutenant. Fortunately, it missed us both.

"Remember, if any of you are killed, you'll have brought the punishment
on yourselves," again shouted the lieutenant.

Though the people yelled as before, the warning had its effect, and we
could see the dark moving mass retreating to a more respectful distance.
They, apparently, only wanted a leader to make an onslaught. That
leader, however, was not to be found. Had Hoolan b