g volume from her two consorts. The _Henry_ was
moving slowly off the bar.

On the black sloop there was a silence as of death. Stede Bonnet, late
gentleman of the island of Barbadoes, honorably discharged as major from
the army of his Majesty, since turned sea-rover for no apparent cause,
and now one of the most notorious plunderers of the coast, faced his
last fight. Outnumbered nearly ten to one, his ship a stranded hulk, his
cannon useless, surely he read his doom. His men read it and turned
sullenly to haul down the tattered rag of black that still hung from the
masthead. But a last blaze of the old mad courage flared up in the
Captain, as he faced them, dishevelled and bloody, from behind cocked
pistols. Above the tumult of the fusillade his voice, usually so clear,
rose hoarse with anger. "I'll scatter the deck with the brains of any
man who will not fight to the end!" he cried.

For a second the issue was in doubt. In another instant the iron spell
he held over his men must have won them back. Herriot was already
running to his side. But before he reached his chief a louder cheer from
the attacking sloops made him turn. The black "Roger" fluttered
downward to the deck.

One of the captive sailors from the _Francis_, fearing to be taken for a
pirate if it came to deck-fighting, had crept up behind the mast and cut
the flag halyards. The men's hearts fell with the falling ensign and
they stood irresolute while the _Henry_ went up alongside. There was now
water enough for her to come close aboard and when she stood at a boat's
length distant, Colonel Rhett appeared at the rail. He pointed to the
muzzles of four loaded cannon aboard his sloop and told Bonnet that he
would proceed to blow him into the air if he did not surrender in one
minute's time. There was little parley. The pirate captain's flare of
resistance had burned out and pale and strangely shaken he handed over
his sword and submitted to the disarming of his men.

It was now well along in the morning. The prisoners whom Rhett had taken
were rowed out in small boats across the bar and put aboard the _Indian
Queen_. One by one they were hauled over the side and placed below in
chains. Job, Jeremy and Bob stood at a little distance and counted those
who had been captured. Now and then they were greeted by an ugly look
and a curse as some old shipmate recognized them. Last of all, Major
Bonnet passed, haggard and unkempt, his head bowed in shame.

"Thir