of that sort, though he could not make
out exactly where he had been wounded. There was a terrific shouting in
the rear of the enemy, and he had no difficulty in recognising the
voices of his shipmates, especially those of Jack and Murray. The
shouts came nearer and nearer. He picked himself up to see what had
become of the enemy, but they were nowhere to be found. Instead of
them, a flock of goats, chased by Mr Thorn's party, and frightened by
their shouts, were butting away with heroic valour at anybody and
everybody who came in their way, while daylight revealed the laughing
countenances of his friends, who had seen his overthrow and the enemy
which caused it. Paddy did not much mind, however. He rubbed himself
over, and finding that he had no bones broken, or any puncture in his
body, burst into a loud laugh.

"I shouldn't be surprised but that those are the very fellows with the
long beards we saw standing at the top of the ramparts, and whom
everybody took for pirates," he exclaimed. "As they turned round to
scamper away, they kicked the stones down over us. We are all in one
box, that's a comfort. No one can laugh at the other." Thus Adair very
adroitly turned the laugh from himself. Every one acknowledged the
probable correctness of his surmises, but still Mr Thorn thought it
right to continue his search for the outlaws. No information could be
obtained from their fair captives, as Paddy called them. There could be
little doubt that there must have been very lately a number of men in
the fort, for it could not be supposed that three old women would be
left as the regular garrison of a pretty strong fortification. They
were still continuing their search, when daylight revealed to them a
couple of boats under all sail, standing away to the northward, and by
the course they were steering looking as if they must but a short time
before have left the island. Mr Thorn ordering Hemming to take charge
of the place, leaving him Rogers and a few more men, hurried down the
height, to go in pursuit of the flying enemy.

"Remember the captain's orders were, that we were to attack and make
prisoners of the men alone, but that goods of every description and all
private property is to be strictly respected."

"Ay, ay, sir," answered Hemming, meaning that he understood the orders
received.

Hunting about they discovered a very steep winding path down to the
harbour. By it Mr Thorn and his followers descended