The brave officer refused, answering by a vigorous
thrust.

In a moment the two lads had sprung upon him, one from each side,
and wrested his sword from his hand. The negroes, with yells of
triumph, were rushing upon him with drawn swords; but the boys
sternly motioned them back, keeping well in front of their
prisoner.

"You have sworn," they said, "and the first man who breaks his oath
we will shoot through the head."

Then, turning to the governor they said:

"Sir, you see what these men, whom you have so long hunted as wild
beasts, can do. Take warning from this, and let all in the town
know the determination to which we have arrived. If we are let
alone, we will let others alone. We promise that no serious
depredations, of any kind, shall be performed by any of our party
in the forest; but if we are molested, or if any of our band who
may fall into your hands are ill treated, we swear that, for each
drop of blood slain, we will ravage a plantation and destroy a
house.

"On this occasion, as you see, the negroes have abstained from
shedding blood; but our influence over them may not avail, in
future. Now that you see that we too can attack, you may think fit
to leave us alone. In case of serious interference with us, we will
lay waste the land, up to the houses of the city; and destroy every
plantation, and hacienda."

Then they hurried the governor to a back entrance, gave him his
sword again and, having seen him in safety, fairly beyond the reach
of any of their party who might be wandering about, dismissed him.

Returning to the palace, they had to exert themselves to the utmost
to prevail on the negroes to spare all who were there. Indeed, one
man, who refused to obey Ned's orders and to lower his club, he
shot down at once.

This vigorous act excited, for a moment, yells of indignation among
the rest; but the firm bearing of the two young Englishmen, and the
knowledge that they were acting as they themselves had given them
leave to act, should any of the party break their oaths, subdued
them into silence.

The palace was now stripped of all portable and useful articles.
Ned would not permit anything to be carried away of a merely
ornamental or valuable character; but only such as kitchen
utensils, crockery, stoves, arms, hangings, and articles of a
description that would be useful to them, in their wild life in the
forest. The quantity of arms taken was considerable as, in addition
to those belon