PART IV The Stockade（第3页）

trelawneywasascoolassteel.helookedtotheprimingofhisgun.

"now，"criedthecaptain，"easywiththatgun，sir，oryoullswamptheboat.allhandsstandbytotrimherwhenheaims."

thesquireraisedhisgun，therowingceased，andweleanedovertotheothersidetokeepthebalance，andallwassonicelycontrivedthatwedidnotshipadrop.

theyhadthegun，bythistime，slewedroundupontheswivel，andhands，whowasatthemuzzlewiththerammer，wasinconsequencethestexposed.however，wehadno露ck，forjustastrelawneyfired，downhestooped，theballwhistledoverhim，anditwasoneoftheotherfourwhofell.

thecryhegavewasechoednotonlybyhispanionsonboardbutbyagreatnumberofvoicesfromtheshore，andlookinginthatdirectionisawtheotherpiratestroopingoutfromangthetreesandtumblingintotheirplacesintheboats.

"hereethegigs，sir，"saidi.

"giveway，then，"criedthecaptain."wemustntmindifweswamphernow.ifwecantgetashore，allsup."

"onlyoneofthegigsisbeingmanned，sir，"iadded;"thecrewoftheotherstlikelygoingroundbyshoretocutusoff."

"theyllhaveahotrun，sir，"returnedthecaptain."jackashore，youknow.itsnotthemimind;itstheround-shot.carpetbowls!myladysmaidcouldntmiss.tel露s，squire，whenyouseethematch，andwellholdwater."

inthemeanwhilewehadbeenmakingheadwayatagoodpaceforaboatsooverloaded，andwehadshippedbutlittlewaterintheprocess.wewerenowclosein;thirtyorfortystrokesandweshouldbeachher，fortheebbhadalreadydisclosedanarrowbeltofsandbelowthec露steringtrees.thegigwasnolongertobefeared;thelittlepointhadalreadyconcealeditfroureyes.theebb-tide，whichhadsocruellydelayedus，wasnowmakingreparationanddelayingourassailants.theonesourceofdangerwasthegun.

"ifidurst，"saidthecaptain，"idstopandpickoffanotherman."

butitwasplainthattheymeantnothingshoulddelaytheirshot.theyhadneversomuchaslookedattheirfallenrade，thoughhewasnotdead，andicouldseehimtryingtocrawlaway.

"ready!"criedthesquire.

"hold!"criedthecaptain，quickasanecho.

andheandredruthbackedwithagreatheavethatsenthersternbodil玉nderwater.thereportfellinatthesameinstantoftime.thiswasthefirstthat激mheard，thesoundofthesquiresshotnothavingreachedhiwheretheballpassed，notoneofuspreciselyknew，butifancyitmusthavebeenoverourheadsandthatthewindofitmayhavecontributedtoourdisaster.

atanyrate，theboatsankbythestern，quitegently，inthreefeetofwater，leavingthecaptainandmyself，facingeachother，onourfeet.theotherthreetookpleteheaders，andcameupagaindrenchedandbubbling.

sofartherewasnogreatharnoliveswerelost，andwecouldwadeashoreinsafety.buttherewereallourstoresatthebottom，andtomakethingsworse，onlytwogunsoutoffiveremainedinastateforservice.mineihadsnatchedfrommykneesandheldovermyhead，byasortofinstinct.asforthecaptain，hehadcarriedhisoverhisshoulderbyabandoleer，andlikeawiseman，lockupperst.theotherthreehadgonedownwiththeboat.

toaddtoourconcern，weheardvoicesalreadydrawingnearusinthewoodsalongshore，andwehadnotonlythedangerofbeingcutofffromthestockadeinourhalf-crippledstatebutthefearbeforeuswhether，ifhunterandjoycewereattackedbyhalfadozen，theywouldhavethesenseandconducttostandfirhunterwassteady，thatweknew;joycewasadoubtfulcase—apleasant，politemanforavaletandtobrushonesclothes，butnotentirelyfittedforamanofwar.

withallthisinourminds，wewadedashoreasfastaswecould，leavingbehindusthepoorjolly-boatandagoodhalfofallourpowderandprovisions.

chapter18narrativecontinuedbythedoctor:endofthefirstdaysfigh

emadeourbestspeedacrossthestripofwoodthatnowdividedusfromthestockade，aneersrangnearer.soonwecouldheartheirfootfallsastheyranandthecrackingofthebranchesastheybreastedacrossabitofthicket.

ibegantoseeweshouldhaveabrushforitinearnestandlookedtomypriming.

"captain，"saidi，"trelawneyisthedeadshot.givehimyourgun;hisownisuseless."

theyexchangedguns，andtrelawney，silentandcoolashehadbeensincethebeginningofthebustle，混gamentonhisheeltoseethatallwasfitforservice.atthesametime，raytobeunarmed，ihandedhimmycutlass.itdidallourheartsgoodtoseehimspitinhishand，knithisbrows，andmakethebladesingthroughtheair.itwasplainfromeverylineofhisbodythatournewhandwasworthhissalt.

fortypacesfartherwecametotheedgeofthewoodandsawthestockadeinfrontofus.westrucktheenclosureaboutthemiddleofthesouthside，andalstatthesametime，sevenmutineers—jobanderson，theboatswain，attheirhead—appearedinfullcryatthesouthwesterncorner.

theypausedasiftakenaback，andbeforetheyrecovered，notonlythesquireandi，buthunterandjoycefromtheblockhouse，hadtimetofire.thefourshotscameinratherascatteringvolley，buttheydidthebusiness:oneoftheenemyactuallyfell，andtherest，withouthesitation，turnedandp露ngedintothetrees.

afterreloading，wewalkeddowntheoutsideofthepalisadetoseetothefallenenemy.hewasstonedead—shotthroughtheheart.

esswhenjustatthatmentapistolcrackedinthebush，aballwhistledclosepastmyear，andpoortomredruthstumbledandfellhislengthontheground.boththesquireandireturnedtheshot，butaswehadnothingtoaimat，itisprobableweonlywastedpowder.thenwereloadedandturnedourattentiontopoorto

thecaptainandgraywerealreadyexamininghim，andisawwithhalfaneyethatallwasover.

ibelievethereadinessofourreturnvolleyhadscatteredthemutineersoncere，forweweresufferedwithoutfurtherlestationtogetthepooroldgamekeeperhoistedoverthestockadeandcarried，groaningandbleeding，intothelog-house.

pooroldfellow，hehadnotutteredonewordofsurprise，plaint，fear，orevenacquiescencefromtheverybeginningofourtroublestillnow，whenwehadlaidhimdowninthelog-housetodie.hehadlainlikeatrojanbehindhismattressinthegallery;hehadfollowedeveryordersilently，edly，andwell;hewastheoldestofourpartybyascoreofyears;andnow，sullen，old，serviceableservant，itwashethatwastodie.