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Chapter 10
Beforehegothisfeet,Ihadclappedapistoltohisback,andmighthaveshothim,too;onlyatthetouchofhim(andhimalive)mywholefleshmisgaveme,andIcouldnomorepullthetriggerthanIcouldhaveflown.
Hehaddroppedhiscutlassashejumped,andwhenhefeltthepistol,whippedstraightroundandlaidholdofme,roaringoutanoath;andatthateithermycouragecameagain,orIgrewsomuchafraidascametothesamething;forIgaveashriekandshothiminthemidstofthebody.Hegavethemosthorrible,uglygroanandfelltothefloor.Thefootofasecondfellow,whoselegsweredanglingthroughtheskylight,struckmeatthesametimeuponthehead;andatthatIsnatchedanotherpistolandshotthisonethroughthethigh,sothatheslippedthroughandtumbledinalumponhiscompanion’sbody.Therewasnotalkofmissing,anymorethantherewastimetoaim;Iclappedthemuzzletotheveryplaceandfired.
Imighthavestoodandstaredatthemforlong,butIheardAlanshoutasifforhelp,andthatbroughtmetomysenses.
Hehadkeptthedoorsolong;butoneoftheseamen,whilehewasengagedwithothers,hadruninunderhisguardandcaughthimaboutthebody.Alanwasdirkinghimwithhislefthand,butthefellowclunglikealeech.Anotherhadbrokeninandhadhiscutlassraised.Thedoorwasthrongedwiththeirfaces.Ithoughtwewerelost,andcatchingupmycutlass,fellontheminflank.
ButIhadnottimetobeofhelp.
