United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783 -- Fiction
I was sure that he was hurt, however, very much, and this made me feel
more savage against our enemies than anything that had occurred for a
long time, but there was no time to stop and examine his wound. I had
scarcely a man now left unhurt--most of them seriously so. Two poor
fellows let the oars drop from their hands, and sank down in the bottom
of the boat. Tom was one of them. Grampus, indeed, was the only man
unhurt. He seemed to bear a charmed life, for he had run in his time
more risks than any of us without receiving a wound. I was in despair,
for I every instant expected to feel a bullet enter my body, and that
after all we should fall into the hands of the enemy. The boat, too,
was almost knocked to pieces, and it seemed a wonder that she could
still swim. The wind, fortunately, was blowing strong off the land.
"We must try and get the foresail hoisted, Grampus," said I. "If we
can, we may do yet."
"Ay, ay, sir," he answered, stepping forward over the prostrate bodies
of our shipmates to execute the order.
Assisted by two of the men the least hurt, we got the mast stepped.
"Now up with the sail, my men!" I sang out.
At length it was hoisted, though the moment the enemy saw what we were
about they seemed to redouble their efforts to destroy us. I breathed
more freely as I got the sheet aft, and saw the canvas swelling with the
breeze; but even then I knew that a shot might carry away our mast or
halliards, or, indeed, send us all to the bottom. Just as I had got all
to rights, and was ready to take the helm, poor little Harry, overcome
with pain and the loss of blood, sank down by my side. I placed him
carefully in the stern-sheets, and Tom Rockets, though badly wounded
himself, crawled aft and endeavoured to examine his wound and to staunch
the blood which flowed copiously from his side. The bullets began now
to fall less thickly about us than before--a sign that we were
increasing our distance from the shore. Had the enemy possessed a boat
they might have taken us without difficulty, but, fortunately, they had
none. Indeed, I have no doubt that their aim was to destroy us
completely, as a punishment on us for our attempt to burn their vessel.
In spite of the shots which still fell around us, we kept steadily on
our course, while occasionally I turned an uneasy glance over my
shoulder to see how far we had got from the enemy. At length scarcely a
shot reached us; a gentle thud every now and then showing us that those
which did so had almost lost their power. I was able now to pay more
attention to my young companion. I asked him how he did.
"I am afraid that I am more hurt than I at first fancied," he replied.
"If I die, you will write to my mother, and tell her all about me, will
you, Hurry?"
"Oh, don't talk of dying, my good boy," I answered, though I felt a
choking sensation in my throat as I spoke. "We shall soon be on board,
and then you will be properly cared for, and will feel more easy."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account