As Henry was about to follow the individual in question, who was preparing to depart with his prisoner, Mary said:
'Farewell, Henry, be of good cheer, and despair not, for He who tempers the wind to the shorn lamb, will most assuredly deliver you from your villanous persecutor.'
Having thus spoken, Miss Hamilton immediately retired into the adjoining apartment.
'Come, young man,' exclaimed Pepper, 'bear a hand, and trot here in my wake.'
'Lead on,' answered Henry, and so saying he followed Pepper towards the door.
They had hardly reached it, however, before their farther progress was impeded by the entrance of Blackbeard, who almost breathlessly exclaimed:
'It is all over with us, father. The boats from the sloop-of-war on the other side of the island, and their crews armed to the teeth, are now within a few rods of the palace.'
'Be the bones of St. Patrick, an' sure that is the most illegant news that iver graated the ears iv a jintleman in disthress!' exclaimed Pat O'Leary, who was in an ecstacy of joy at the prospect of his speedy deliverance.
'What is to be done, father?' asked Blackbeard.
'Done,' exclaimed Rowland, in a voice of thunder, 'why, we must fight and die, as we have lived, at war with all mankind.'