“What’s to be done?” asked Ethan of the dragoon.
“Fight,” answered that worthy with great promptness.
“Good for you, old fire eater,” he said. “So we will. There may not be so many of them after all.”
“But they are armed, and we have nothing but our bare hands,” mourned Longsword.
“But we’ll have the advantage of a surprise,” said Ethan.
All hope of this advantage, however, was blasted a moment later, for the woman, upon hearing the boy’s words, uttered a warning shriek that rang through the cellar with ear splitting shrillness.
Instantly there came a trampling of feet upon the floor above, and Meg laughed in their faces triumphantly. But the laugh had scarcely died upon her lips when Longsword pushed her into one of the open cells and closed and locked the door.
“Now, then,” cried Ethan, “let’s meet them at the foot of the stairs.”
As he spoke he kicked over the lamp, plunging the cellar into complete darkness. As they reached the foot of the stairs the door at the top opened, and the yellow rays of a candle, in the hands of Danvers, dimly lit up the narrow way. Ethan drew Longsword under the stairs out of sight.
“Hello,” called the British spy. “What is the matter?”
The cries of the woman from the dungeon and the rattling of the grated door answered him.
“Something is wrong,” said he, hurriedly. “Come along, two of you; the other two remain here, and keep your eyes open.”
As Danvers led the way into the cellar, Ethan nudged Longsword.
“Only two in the room above,” said he in a whisper.
“One apiece,” said the grim dragoon with a chuckle.
Danvers and the two seamen passed quickly along toward the dungeons; instantly Ethan and his companion were out of their hiding-place and softly climbing the stairs. When they reached the top, they suddenly flung open the door and leaped into the room. In the middle of the floor stood the two remaining sailors from the tender; and before they could recover from the surprise which the sudden appearance of the prisoners occasioned, they were beaten down by a series of swift stunning blows. Then Ethan and Longsword pushed into the street and went speeding away through the silent town toward the sea.
HOW ETHAN AND LONGSWORD TOOK THE SCHOONER
They ran for some little time, and then Ethan looked back and saw no signs of pursuit.