“I understand, sir,” Ralph said as he turned to go off.  “If you get in you can reckon on our assistance immediately; if not, we shall make no move.”

Ralph now took up his station at the mouth of the cavern with his six men, and lay down just in front of the opening listening attentively.  He could hear a continued murmur as of many voices.

“Get ready, lads, to follow me the instant you see me dive in,” he said.  “I am sure by the sound there are more than four men in there, and Captain O’Connor may want help badly.”

Grasping a pistol in his left hand, and his sword in his right, Ralph listened attentively.  Suddenly he heard a shout, followed by a volley of imprecations, and then the discharge of a gun or a pistol.

In an instant he threw himself forward along the low narrow passage.  He had not gone more than three or four yards when he found that it heightened, and he was able to stand upright.  He rushed on, keeping his bead low in case the roof should lower again, and after a few paces entered a large cabin.  It was dimly illuminated by two torches stuck against the wall.  In a moment a number of figures rushed toward him with loud shouts; but before they reached him two of the soldiers stood by his side.

“Fire!” he shouted as he discharged his pistol, and at the same moment the soldiers beside him discharged their muskets.

A moment later he was engaged in a fierce hand-to-hand conflict.  Several firearms had flashed off almost in his face.  One of the soldiers fell with a sharp cry, but those who were following rushed forward.  Ralph narrowly escaped having his brains dashed out by a clubbed rifle, but springing back just in time he ran his opponent through before he could recover his guard.

Just at this moment a big man with a shock of red hair and a huge beard leveled a blunderbuss at him.  It flashed across him that his last moment had come, when a man behind leaped suddenly upon the ruffian’s back and they fell to the ground together, the blunderbuss going off in the fall and riddling a soldier standing next to Ralph with slugs.

For two or three minutes a desperate struggle went on between Ralph and his six men and those who attempted to break through them.  Sturdily as the soldiers fought they had been driven back toward the entrance by the assailants, armed with pikes and clubbed guns.  There was no sound of conflict at the other end of the cave, and Ralph felt that the attack there had for some reason failed.

“Shoulder to shoulder, lads!” he shouted.  “We shall have help in a minute or two.”

He had emptied both his double-barrelled pistols.  His sword had just broken short in his hand while guarding his head from a heavy blow.  He himself had been almost struck to the ground, when there was a rush of men from behind, and the rest of the soldiers poured in.

“Give them a volley, lads!” he shouted; “and then charged them with the bayonets!”