By the time the boat was lowered from the brig, she had ranged up so
near the side of the ship, as rendered easy to distinguish from the deck
of each the countenances of those on board the other, and as the Earl of
Derwentwater and Arthur Huntington, (who had boarded the ship almost
unperceived at the time of her surrender,) gazed upon the dark swarthy
forms which crowded the sides of the brig, the former suddenly
exclaimed--

'Gracious Heaven, Arthur,--yonder on that strange vessel's deck stands
Ellen Armstrong with that villain who calls himself the Pirate of the
Roanoke close by her side.'

'It cannot be,--where is she?' exclaimed Arthur, involuntarily. 'Thank
God, I see her,' he exclaimed, after gazing a moment upon the brig's
deck. Another minute elapsed and he was in the water, before any one
could anticipate, much less prevent his movements, making towards the
piratical brig, which, (as he was an excellent swimmer,) he managed to
reach, and he soon found himself by the side of sweet Ellen Armstrong
whom he thus addressed:

'Good God! Ellen, how came you here!'

'Arthur!' exclaimed Ellen, faintly,--but she said no more, though
Blackbeard answered his query as follows:

'What rashness, young man, caused you to come here?'

'I have come here,' replied Arthur, 'with all the calmness of
desperation, to rescue this young lady or die in the attempt.'