They had the gun, by this time, slewed round upon the swivel, and Hands,
who was at the muzzle with the rammer, was in consequence the most
exposed. However, we had no luck, for just as Trelawney fired, down he
stooped, the ball whistled over him, and it was one of the other four
who fell.
The cry he gave was echoed not only by his companions on board but by a
great number of voices from the shore, and looking in that direction
I saw the other pirates trooping out from among the trees and tumbling
into their places in the boats.
Here come the gigs, sir, said I.
Give way, then, cried the captain. We mustn t mind if we swamp her
now. If we can t get ashore, all s up.
Only one of the gigs is being manned, sir, I added; the crew of the
other most likely going round by shore to cut us off.
They ll have a hot run, sir, returned the captain. Jack ashore, you
know. It s not them I mind; it s the round-shot. Carpet bowls! My lady s
maid couldn t miss. Tell us, squire, when you see the match, and we ll
hold water.
In the meanwhile we had been making headway at a good pace for a boat so
overloaded, and we had shipped but little water in the process. We were
now close in; thirty or forty strokes and we should beach her, for the
ebb had already disclosed a narrow belt of sand below the clustering
trees. The gig was no longer to be feared; the little point had already
concealed it from our eyes. The ebb-tide, which had so cruelly delayed
us, was now making reparation and delaying our assailants. The one
source of danger was the gun.
If I durst, said the captain, I d stop and pick off another man.
But it was plain that they meant nothing should delay their shot. They
had never so much as looked at their fallen comrade, though he was not
dead, and I could see him trying to crawl away.
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