We had our muskets with us, and
seizing mine by the barrel, I brought the stock down on the head of
the fellow nearest me, and he dropped heavily to the floor.
Springing past him, I cut Joe's cords with my knife, and then
turned to assist my companions in the fight that was raging. The
five buccaneers were sturdy villains, and after the first shock of
surprise they were more than a match for Cludde and the negroes.
One had wrested the musket from Cludde's hand, and now had his arms
about his body, endeavoring to throw him. The rest had drawn their
hangers and were pressing hard upon the negroes, who made play with
their knives, but were not equal to their opponents.
The entrance of Joe and myself into the fray, however, turned the
tide of battle in our favor. Joe had caught up the chair to which
he had been bound, and wielded it like a flail, with every swing of
it breaking a head or snapping an arm. And my musket took a heavy
toll. The room rang with the din of battle--the shouts of the men,
the whoops of the negroes, the clashing of our weapons. For half a
minute it was perfect pandemonium; then finding the odds hopelessly
against them, the two buccaneers who were not by this time on the
floor dashed through the open door and fled, pursued by the
negroes, who had no doubt long scores to pay off against them.
In the midst of the uproar I had not lost sight for a moment of the
main purpose of my errand, and as soon as I saw that the issue of
the fight was decided I called Uncle Moses to my side and asked him
eagerly to lead me to his mistress' sitting room.
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