"Shoulder to shoulder, lads!" he shouted. "We shall have help in a minute or two."
He had emptied both his double-barrelled pistols. His sword had just broken short in his hand while guarding his head from a heavy blow. He himself had been almost struck to the ground, when there was a rush of men from behind, and the rest of the soldiers poured in.
"Give them a volley, lads!" he shouted; "and then charge them with the bayonets!"
The muskets rang out, and then there was a shout of "We surrender! we surrender!"
A minute later the men were disarmed. There was still a desperate struggle going on on the ground.
"Here, lads," Ralph said to two of his men. "Secure this red fellow, he is their leader. One of you bring a torch here."
The light was brought. It was seen that the man who had sprung upon the Red Captain's back had pinioned his arms to his sides, and held them there in spite of the efforts of the ruffian to free himself. Two of the soldiers took off their belts and fastened them together, passed them between the back of the man and his captor, and then strapped his arms firmly to his side. The man who held them then released his grip.
"Stand over him with fixed bayonets, and if he moves run him through. Now, where's Captain O'Connor?"
"I don't know, sir. He and Mr. Desmond and the naval officer went down the hole in front of us. We were following when the naval officer shouted up to us to run round to this entrance and make our way in there, for he could go no further."
"I am here, Conway," a faint voice said from the other end of the cabin; "but I have broken my leg I think, and Desmond has knocked all the wind out of my body."