First the king himself was missing, and there was a false alarm that he had escaped and was already closeted with Poor.

Next came certain intelligence that some of the ministry had run the blockade, and were on their way to the house of the English settler.

Thereupon, in spite of some protests from Tamasese, who tried to defend the independence of his cabinet, Brandeis gathered a posse of warriors, marched out of the village, brought back the fugitives, and clapped them in the corrugated iron shanty which served as gaol.

Along with these he seems to have seized Billy Coe, interpreter to the Hawaiians; and Poor, seeing his conspiracy public, burst with his boat's- crew into the town, made his way to the house of the native prime minister, and demanded Coe's release.

Brandeis hastened to the spot, with Strong at his heels; and the two principals being both incensed, and Strong seriously alarmed for his friend's safety, there began among them a scene of great intemperance.