"
Griffith, without waiting for a second bidding, hastened to
Borroughcliffe with his intelligence.
"His side-arms!" repeated the soldier, when the other had done; "what
are they, I pray thee--a marlinespike! For if his equipments be no
better than thine own, my worthy prisoner, there is little need to
quarrel about their ownership."
"Had I but ten of my meanest men, armed with such half-pikes, and
Captain Borroughcliffe and his party were put at deadly strife with us,"
retorted Griffith, "he might find occasion to value our weapons more
highly."
"Four such fiery gentlemen as yourself would have routed my command,"
returned Borroughcliffe, with undisturbed composure. "I trembled for my
ranks when I saw you coming out of the smoke like a blazing comet from
behind a cloud! and I shall never think of somersets without returning
inward thanks to their inventor. But our treaty is made; let your
comrades come forth and pile their arms."
Griffith communicated the result to the captain of marines, when the
latter led the remnant of his party out of his sunken fortress into the
open air.
The men, who had manifested throughout the whole business that cool
subordination and unyielding front, mixed with the dauntless spirit that
to this day distinguishes the corps of which they were members, followed
their commander in sullen silence, and stacked their arms with as much
regularity and precision as if they had been ordered to relieve
themselves after a march.
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