eir powder must be returned.

This was done. The governor answered with a falsehood. He said that he
had heard of some danger of an insurrection among the slaves in a
neighboring county, and had taken the powder to use against them. If
nothing happened, he would soon return it; they need not worry, all
would be right.

This false story quieted the people of Williamsburg for a time. But it
did not satisfy the people of Virginia. As the news spread through the
colony the excitement grew intense. What right had Lord Dunmore to carry
off the people's powder, bought for their defence? Many of them seized
their arms, and at Fredericksburg seven hundred men assembled and sent
word that they were ready to march on Williamsburg. Among them were the
"minute men" of Culpeper, a famous band of frontiersmen, wearing green
hunting-shirts and carrying knives and tomahawks. "Liberty or Death,"
Patrick Henry's stirring words, were on their breasts, and over their
heads floated a significant banner. On it was a coiled rattlesnake, with
the warning motto, "Don't tread on me!"

Prompt as these men were, there was one man in Virginia still more
prompt, a man not to be trifled with by any lordly governor. This was
Patrick Henry, the patriotic orator. The instant he heard of the
stealing of the powder he sent word to the people in his vicinity to
meet him at Newcastle, ready to fight for Virginia's rights. They came,
one hundred and fifty of them, all well armed, and without hesitation he
led them against the treacherous governor. It looked as if there was to
be a battle in Virginia, as there had been in Massachusetts. Lord
Dunmore was scared when he heard that the patriots were marching on him,
as they had marched on Lord Berkeley a century before. He sent word
hastily to Patrick Henry to stop his march and that he would pay for the
powder.

[Illustration: OLD MAGAZINE AT WILLIAMSBURG.]

Very likely this disappointed the indignant orator. Just then he would
rather have fought Dunmore than take his money. But he had no good
excuse for refusing it, so the cash was paid over, three hundred and
thirty pounds sterling,--equal to about sixteen hundred dollars,--and
Henry and his men marched home.

Lord Dunmore was in a towering rage at his defeat. He did what Berkeley
had done against Bacon long before, issuing a proclamation in which he
said that Patrick Henry and all those with him were traitors to the
king. Then he sent to the "Magdalen"