“Fall back, lads; fall back,” said Wildfire Ned; “get into the house again, and let us bar the doors.” This was quickly done, and greatly to Master Tim’s annoyance, for he was now shut out. With the nimbleness of a cat he climbed up the water pipe into a chamber window. He could not get in very well, and hung outside for some moments, dangling just above the heads of the Skeleton Crew below. Ned pulled him in, however, and warded off several vicious blows aimed at Tim, which, had they struck him, must have killed him on the spot. “We are safe now for a time,” said the innkeeper, bravely; “but I fear they will burn us out. We shall be roasted alive.” Tim heard this remark, and was seized with a wild frenzy. He threw chairs and crockery out upon the heads of those below, who, now very numerous, were clamouring at and endeavouring to burst in the door. “Set fire to the house,” said Death-wing, who had now arrived. “Set fire to the house at once; they will soon cry for quarter, but give them none; as they rush out, kill them on the spot. We’ll soon make them surrender.” “Never,” said Wildfire Ned, at an open window. “Never!” In a few moments, however, the house and stables were set fire to, and the Skeleton Crew, sure of consuming their foes, danced round and round in wild, unearthly joy. “Oh! heaven protect us!” the innkeeper gasped. “We shall all be blown up.” “What!” said Ned, never for a moment losing either coolness or courage. “Blown up, Mr. Warbeck,” said the host. “I have a hundred pounds of powder in a cellar which is situated a few yards before the front door.” “One hundred pounds of powder?” said Bob. “Yes.” “How came it here?” “Lieutenant Garnet and a party of sailors found it on the beach not many weeks ago. It was destined for the Skeleton Crew, but Lieutenant Garnet placed it here, saying he would call and remove it soon.” “That’s just the thing we want,” said Ned, in high glee. In a few moments, Bob and Wildfire Ned descended into the cellar described, and, after putting a slow match to the barrel, firmly closed the cellar-door, and returned again to the room above. Ned threw a rope out of window as if about to escape. This was noticed by those below, who hailed Ned’s appearance at the window with derisive cheers as they brandished their weapons, and flung about their long white arms in a ghostly dance. “The fire is doing its work,” said Death-wing, in high glee. “We’ll have revenge on the publican, he has always been an enemy of our crew, and a friend to Garnet. Look out, they will be burnt out like rats in less than five minutes. Stand by, every one of you, ready to receive them as they jump out of the window. Let them fall on the points of your sword.” When least they expected it, however, the powder exploded! The earth about ten yards in front of the main doorway suddenly upheaved. An awful rush of fire succeeded. Many of the skeletons were blown into the air.