Part 105 (2/2)

The lad's calm words had the effect of steadying the trembling black as they listened, and his voice was no longer the same as he said firmly now--

”Yes, ma.s.sa. Time now. Fire!”

Murray thrust the black from him as he s.n.a.t.c.hed the light from behind the door, took a couple of steps towards the enemy, and stooped down with the candle burning blue and seeming to become extinct as the lad touched the path. Then there was a bright flash as the powder caught, sputtered and began to run, lighting up the figure of the mids.h.i.+pman in the act of das.h.i.+ng in through the doorway, a score of bullets rattling after him in answer to an order; and then the door closed with a heavy bang.

Darkness within and a blaze of light without, where the voice of the Yankee could be heard shouting orders which rose above the buzzing fluttering noise of the running train.

”Hurt, Mr Murray, sir?”

”No! Where's the black?”

_Crash_!

A fierce burst as of thunder, and the just-closed door was dashed in, while the hall and staircase were filled with light.

CHAPTER FIFTY TWO.

WHAT THE POWDER DID.

The horrible dank odour of exploded gunpowder; a blinding smoke; thick darkness; a strange singing in the ears, and then, in connection with a sensation as of having been struck down and stunned, an awful silence.

These were Murray's impressions as he slowly struggled to his feet.

Then as his scattered senses began to return he cried hoa.r.s.ely--

”Who's here?--Who's hurt?”

There was no reply for a few moments, and then from somewhere up-stairs as it seemed to Murray, Roberts shouted--

”Do speak, somebody! Are you all killed?”

”No, no,” panted Murray, who now began to cough and choke. ”Speak, somebody! Who's hurt?”

”Here, avast there!” now burst forth the hearty tones of the big sailor.

”Let's have it, messmates, only don't all speak at once. Arn't all on you killed, are you?”

”No, no,” cried one.

”Knocked the wind out of us,” said another, from the upper room.

”Here, steady there,” cried Tom May now, in a voice full of excitement.

”Avast there, what did you do with the rest of that there keg of powder?”

”Me?” cried Harry Lang, who had handled it. ”You, yes! What did you do with it, messmate?”

”Took it up-stairs. I mean, brought it up here.”

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