n a confused fashion sorting the
flying blacks into two parties,--those who were unarmed he hurried down
the path in the way of retreat, while those who had maintained enough
courage to keep their machetes, he ranged upon either side of the path,
while, to Murray's wonder and surprise, for they had been forgotten for
the moment, four of the blacks came forward supporting two of the
wounded man-o'-war's men.

"Oh, my poor lads!" cried the lieutenant eagerly.

"You, Mr Roberts, and you, Seddon. Are you badly hurt?"

"No, sir," cried the middy cheerily. "Only two _Seafowls_ winged, sir!"

"Nay, sir, not me!" growled the seaman belonging to the second cutter.
"I arn't winged, sir; I'm hind-legged, and I should have had to hop if
it warn't for these niggers here."

"Mr Murray, I can't spare you. Tom May, you take Mr Murray's place
and help me cover the retreat with all the men. Mr Murray, do the best
you can with the wounded, and then join us here."

"No, no, sir," cried Roberts. "I've got a handkerchief round my arm,
sir; Seddon tied it, and he's done his own leg up himself."

"Bravo!" cried the lieutenant. "Keep together, my lads. Here, you
Caesar, can't you make some of your fellows fight?"

"Caesar try, massa; try berry hard. Much frighten of Massa Huggin."

"Tell them to fight for their lives if they won't for their liberty."

"Yes, sah. Caesar try all he can;" and the black made a rush at one of
his retreating companions whom he saw in the act of throwing away his
rough cutlass; and catching him by the shoulder he gave him a heavy cuff
on the ear and then forced him to pick up the weapon he had discarded
and join a few compatriots who were making something of a stand.

"There's no trusting them, sir," said Murray, who was breathing hard
with excitement.

"And no wonder, Murray; all the courage has been crushed out of them,
poor wretches."

As Mr Anderson spoke there was a burst of startled yells and cries,
following directly upon the reports of several muskets, and what seemed
to be quite a crowd of the retreating blacks came rushing along the path
right upon where the _Seafowl's_ men were making a stand.

"Here, where are you coming to?" roared Tom May, in his deep-toned
voice. "Keep back, or go round, or crawl, or do something, or we'll
give _you_ a blessed good dose of butt-ending.--Who's to fire, do you
think," continued the big sailor, "with you all coming in the way?"

At that moment Ca