with　the　black　flag；　and　gave　it　a　wave　or　two。　　After　that；　the
  Portuguese　captain　called　out　in　shrill　English；　〃I　say　you！
  English　fools！　　Open　the　gate！　　Surrender！〃
  As　we　kept　close　and　quiet；　he　said　something　to　his　men　which　I
  didn't　understand；　and　when　he　had　said　it；　the　one…eyed　English
  rascal　with　the　patch　（who　had　stepped　out　when　he　began）；　said　it
  again　in　English。　　It　was　only　this。　　〃Boys　of　the　black　flag；　this
  is　to　be　quickly　done。　　Take　all　the　prisoners　you　can。　　If　they
  don't　yield；　kill　the　children　to　make　them。　　Forward！〃　　Then；　they
  all　came　on　at　the　gate；　and　in　another　half…minute　were　smashing
  and　splitting　it　in。
  We　struck　at　them　through　the　gaps　and　shivers；　and　we　dropped　many
  of　them；　too；　but；　their　very　weight　would　have　carried　such　a　gate；
  if　they　had　been　unarmed。　　I　soon　found　Sergeant　Drooce　at　my　side；
  forming　us　six　remaining　marines　in　lineTom　Packer　next　to　meand
  ordering　us　to　fall　back　three　paces；　and；　as　they　broke　in；　to　give
  them　our　one　little　volley　at　short　distance。　　〃Then；〃　says　he；
  〃receive　them　behind　your　breastwork　on　the　bayonet；　and　at　least
  let　every　man　of　you　pin　one　of　the　cursed　cockchafers　through　the
  body。〃
  We　checked　them　by　our　fire；　slight　as　it　was；　and　we　checked　them
  at　the　breastwork。　　However；　they　broke　over　it　like　swarms　of
  devilsthey　were；　really　and　truly；　more　devils　than　menand　then
  it　was　hand　to　hand；　indeed。
  We　clubbed　our　muskets　and　laid　about　us；　even　then；　those　two
  ladiesalways　behind　mewere　steady　and　ready　with　the　arms。　　I
  had　a　lot　of　Maltese　and　Malays　upon　me；　and；　but　for　a　broadsword
  that　Miss　Maryon's　own　hand　put　in　mine；　should　have　got　my　end　from
  them。　　But；　was　that　all？　　No。　　I　saw　a　heap　of　banded　dark　hair　and
  a　white　dress　come　thrice　between　me　and　them；　under　my　own　raised
  right　arm；　which　each　time　might　have　destroyed　the　wearer　of　the
  white　dress；　and　each　time　one　of　the　lot　went　down；　struck　dead。
  Drooce　was　armed　with　a　broadsword；　too；　and　did　such　things　with
  it；　that　there　was　a　cry；　in　half…a…dozen　languages；　of　〃Kill　that
  sergeant！〃　as　I　knew；　by　the　cry　being　raised　in　English；　and　taken
  up　in　other　tongues。　　I　had　received　a　severe　cut　across　the　left
  arm　a　few　moments　before；　and　should　have　known　nothing　of　it；
  except　supposing　that　somebody　had　struck　me　a　smart　blow；　if　I　had
  not　felt　weak；　and　seen　myself　covered　with　spouting　blood；　and；　at
  the　same　instant　of　time；　seen　Miss　Maryon　tearing　her　dress　and
  binding　it　with　Mrs。　Fisher's　help　round　the　wound。　　They　called　to
  Tom　Packer；　who　was　scouring　by；　to　stop　and　guard　me　for　one
  minute；　while　I　was　bound；　or　I　should　bleed　to　death　in　trying　to
  defend　myself。　　Tom　stopped　directly；　with　a　good　sabre　in　his　hand。
  In　that　same　momentall　things　seem　to　happen　in　that　same　moment；
  at　such　a　timehalf…a…dozen　had　rushed　howling　at　Sergeant　Drooce。
  The　Sergeant；　stepping　back　against　the　wall；　stopped　one　howl　for
  ever　with　such　a　terrible　blow；　and　waited　for　the　rest　to　come　on；
  with　such　a　wonderfully　unmoved　face；　that　they　stopped　and　looked
  at　him。
  〃See　him　now！〃　cried　Tom　Packer。　　〃Now；　when　I　could　cut　him　out！
  Gill！　　Did　I　tell　you　to　mark　my　words？〃
  I　implored　Tom　Packer　in　the　Lord's　name；　as　well　as　I　could　in　my
  faintness；　to　go　to　the　Sergeant's　aid。
  〃I　hate　and　detest　him；〃　says　Tom；　moodily　wavering。　　〃Still；　he　is
  a　brave　man。〃　　Then　he　calls　out；　〃Sergeant　Drooce；　Sergeant　Drooce！
  Tell　me　you　have　driven　me　too　hard；　and　are　sorry　for　it。〃
  The　Sergeant；　without　turning　his　eyes　from　his　assailants；　which
  would　have　been　instant　death　to　him；　answers。
  〃No。　　I　won't。〃
  〃Sergeant　Drooce！〃　cries　Tom；　in　a　kind　of　an　agony。　　〃I　have　passed
  my　word　that　I　would　never　save　you　from　Death；　if　I　could；　but
  would　leave　you　to　die。　　Tell　me　you　have　driven　me　too　hard　and　are
  sorry　for　it；　and　that　shall　go　for　nothing。〃
  One　of　the　group　laid　the　Sergeant's　bald　bare　head　open。　　The
  Sergeant　laid　him　dead。
  〃I　tell　you；〃　says　the　Sergeant；　breathing　a　little　short；　and
  waiting　for　the　next　attack；　〃no。　　I　won't。　　If　you　are　not　man
  enough　to　strike　for　a　fellow…soldier　because　he　wants　help；　and
  because　of　nothing　else；　I'll　go　into　the　other　world　and　look　for　a
  better　man。〃
  Tom　swept　upon　them；　and　cut　him　out。　　Tom　and　he　fought　their　way
  through　another　knot　of　them；　and　sent　them　flying；　and　came　over　to
  where　I　was　beginning　again　to　feel；　with　inexpressible　joy；　that　I
  had　got　a　sword　in　my　hand。
  They　had　hardly　come　to　us；　when　I　heard；　above　all　the　other
  noises；　a　tremendous　cry　of　women's　voices。　　I　also　saw　Miss　Maryon；
  with　quite　a　new　face；　suddenly　clap　her　two　hands　over　Mrs。
  Fisher's　eyes。　　I　looked　towards　the　silver…house；　and　saw　Mrs。
  Venningstanding　upright　on　the　top　of　the　steps　of　the　trench；
  with　her　gray　hair　and　her　dark　eyeshide　her　daughter's　child
  behind　her；　among　the　folds　of　her　dress；　strike　a　pirate　with　her
  other　hand；　and　fall；　shot　by　his　pistol。
  The　cry　arose　again；　and　there　was　a　terrible　and　confusing　rush　of
  the　women　into　the　midst　of　the　struggle。　　In　another　moment；
  something　came　tumbling　down　upon　me　that　I　thought　was　the　wall。
  It　was　a　heap　of　Sambos　who　had　come　over　the　wall；　and　of　four　men
  who　clung　to　my　legs　like　serpents；　one　who　clung　to　my　right　leg
  was　Christian　George　King。
  〃Yup；　So…Jeer；〃　says　he；　〃Christian　George　King　sar　berry　glad　So…
  Jeer　a　prisoner。　　Christian　George　King　been　waiting　for　So…Jeer
  sech　long　time。　　Yup；　yup！〃
  What　could　I　do；　with　five…and…twenty　of　them　on　me；　but　be　tied
  hand　and　foot？　　So；　I　was　tied　hand　and　foot。　　It　was　all　over　now
  boats　not　come　backall　lost！　　When　I　was　fast　bound　and　was　put　up
  against　the　wall；　the　one…eyed　English　convict　came　up　with　the
  Portuguese　Captain；　to　have　a　look　at　me。
  〃See！〃　says　he。　　〃Here's　the　determined　man！　　If　you　had　slept
  sounder；　last　night；　you'd　have　slept　your　soundest　last　night；　my
  determined　man。〃
  The　Portuguese　Captain　laughed　in　a　cool　way；　and　with　the　flat　of
  his　cutlass；　hit　me　crosswise；　as　if　I　was　the　bough　of　a　tree　that
  he　played　with：　　first　on　the　face；　and　then　across　the　chest　and
  the　wounded　arm。　　I　looked　him　steady　in　the　face　without　tumbling
  while　he　looked　at　me；　I　am　happy　to　say；　but；　when　they　went　away；
  I　fell；　and　lay　there。
  The　sun　was　up；　when　I　was　roused　and　told　to　come　down　to　the　beach
  and　be　embarked。　　I　was　full　of　aches　and　pains；　and　could　not　at
  first　remember；　but；　I　remembered　quite　soon　enough。　　The　killed
  were　lying　about　all　over　the　place；　and　the　Pirates　were　burying
  their　dead；　and　taking　away　their　wounded　on　hastily…made　litters；
  to　the　back　of　the　Island。　　As　for　us　prisoners；　some　of　their　boats
  had　come　round　to　the　usual　harbour；　to　carry　us　off。　　We　looked　a
  wretched　few；　I　thought；　when　I　got　down　there；　still；　it　was
  another　sign　that　we　had　fought　well；　and　made　the　enemy　suffer。
  The　Portuguese　Captain　had　all　the　women　already　embarked　in　the
  boat　he　himself　commanded；　which　was　just　putting　off　when　I　got
  down。　　Miss　Maryon　sat　on　one　side　of　him；　and　gave　me　a　moment's
  look；　as　full　of　quiet　courage；　and　pity；　and　confidence；　as　if　it
  had　been　an　hour　long。　　On　the　other　side　of　him　was　poor　little
  Mrs。　Fisher；　weeping　for　her　child　and　her　mother。　　I　was　shoved
  into　the　same　boat　with　Drooce　and　Packer；　and　the　remainder　of　our
  party　of　marines：　　of　whom　we　had　lost　two　privates；　besides
  Charker；　my　poor；　brave　comrade。　　We　all　made　a　melancholy　passage；
  under　the　hot　sun　over　to　the　mainland。　　There；　we　landed　in　a
  solitary　place；　and　were　mustered　on　the　sea　sand。　　Mr。　and　Mrs。
  Macey　and　their　children　were　amongst　us；　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Pordage；　Mr。
  Kitten；　Mr。　Fisher；　and　Mrs。　Belltott。　　We　mustered　only　fourteen
  men；　fifteen　women；　and　seven　children。　　Those　were　all　that
  remained　of　the　English　who　had　lain　down　to　sleep　last　night；
  unsuspecting　and　happy；　on　the　Island　of　Silver…Store。
  CHAPTER　III　｛1｝THE　RAFTS　ON　THE　RIVER
  We　contrived　to　keep　afloat　all　that　night；　and；　the　stream　running
  strong　with　us；　to　glide　a　long　way　down　the　river。　　But；　we　found
  the　night　to　be　a　dangerous　time　for　such　navigation；　on　account　of
  the　eddies　and　rapids；　and　it　was　therefore　settled　next　day　that　in
  future　we　would　bring…to　at　sunset；　and　encamp　on　the　shore。　　As　we
  knew　of　no　boats　that　the　Pirates　possessed；　up　at　the　Prison　in　the
  Woods；　we　settled　always　to　encamp　on　the　opposite　side　of　the
  stream；　so　as　to　have　the　breadth　of　the　river　between　our　sleep　and
  them。　　Our　opinion　was；　that　if　they　were　acquainted　with　any　near
  way　by　land　to　the　mouth　of　this　river；　they　would　come　up　it　in
  force；　and　retake　us　or　kill　us；　according　as　they　could；　but　that
  if　that　was　not　the　case；　and　if　the　river　ran　by　none　of　their
  secret　st