"Don't take any notice of me, my lad," he said, pressing my hand. "Hit by a bullet. Not very bad; but I'm half stunned and confused. The men and boats, Herrick; save them." "If I can," I thought, as I hurried forward again, and gave orders to the men to pass the silk bales that were nearest to the bows. "Ay, ay, sir," they shouted, as readily as if I had been the captain. From here I went back to the stern, where I found that Mr Reardon was seated now in the bottom of the boat, supported by Ching, while the men were keeping up a steady fire at every spot from which a shot or yell came. "We're hard at it, sir," said Tom Jecks, who was handling his rifle as coolly as if it had been a capstan bar; "but I don't think we're hitting any of 'em. How's the first luff seem?" "I don't know," I said excitedly. "Well, sir, we're all right," said the man, "and are doing our best. You needn't stop if you can hurry the boys on forward." It was a fact; I could do no good at all, so I hurried forward again. But even here I could do nothing; the men had their task to do of lightening the first boat, and they were working as hard as if they had been lying down in the shade all day, and just as coolly, though every now and then the rough slugs the pirates fired from their clumsy matchlocks went spattering through the trees overhead and sent down fresh showers of leaves and twigs. But I was obliged to say something, and I shouted first one order and then another. "That's your sort, lads," cried a cheery voice. "Down with 'em, and I'll stow. It's like bricklaying with big bricks." "Who's that?" I said sharply, for the man's back was towards me, and it was getting quite dark where we were. "Me it is, sir--Bob Saunders, sir. Beg pardon, sir." "Yes; what is it?" "Tide's going down very fast, sir, arn't it?" "Yes; why?" "'Cause we don't seem to get no forrarder. Hi! steady there! D'yer want to bury yer orficer?" "Never mind me, man. Stow away; she must soon be lightened enough to make her float." "Then we'll lighten her, sir; but don't you go and give orders for any of the stuff to be chucked overboard. It's too vallerble for that." "Only as a last resource, Bob," I replied. "Beg pardon, sir." "Don't," I cried to the man who touched me. "Never mind ceremony now; go on firing." "Yes, sir; but Tom Jecks says, sir, would you like six on us to land and have a go at the beggars?" "No," I cried. "Keep together; we may be afloat at any moment." "Right, sir; on'y we're all willing, if you give the word." "I know that," I cried. "But be careful, my lads. It's a terrible position, with our chief officer down like this." "So it is, sir," said the man, taking careful aim at a part of the bank where he thought that he saw a movement. Then, almost simultaneously, there was a flash from the place, and another from his rifle muzzle.