'
'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.'
By this time a considerable number of the pirates had entered the
palace, and were ordered by Rowland to close the doors and barricade
them with whatever moveables they could find, but before his command
could be executed, the apartment was forcibly entered by the crew of
one of the launches of His Majesty's sloop of war, Vengeance, headed by
an officer, who called out to the inmates,--
'Surrender in the name of King George!'
'In the name of King Lucifer, then, I will never surrender,' exclaimed
Rowland, as he aimed a blow at the officer with his cutlass.
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