`` 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 . `` Ready ! '' cried the squire . `` Hold ! '' cried the captain , quick as an echo . And he and Redruth backed with a great heave that sent her stern bodily under water . The report fell in at the same instant of time . This was the first that Jim heard , the sound of the squire 's shot not having reached him . Where the ball passed , not one of us precisely knew , but I fancy it must have been over our heads and that the wind of it may have contributed to our disaster . At any rate , the boat sank by the stern , quite gently , in three feet of water , leaving the captain and myself , facing each other , on our feet . The other three took complete headers , and came up again drenched and bubbling . So far there was no great harm . No lives were lost , and we could wade ashore in safety . But there were all our stores at the bottom , and to make things worse , only two guns out of five remained in a state for service . Mine I had snatched from my knees and held over my head , by a sort of instinct . As for the captain , he had carried his over his shoulder by a bandoleer , and like a wise man , lock uppermost . The other three had gone down with the boat . To add to our concern , we heard voices already drawing near us in the woods along shore , and we had not only the danger of being cut off from the stockade in our half-crippled state but the fear before us whether , if Hunter and Joyce were attacked by half a dozen , they would have the sense and conduct to stand firm .
XXXXX was steady , that we knew ; Joyce was a doubtful case -- a pleasant , polite man for a valet and to brush one 's clothes , but not entirely fitted for a man of war .
Hunter Jim Joyce Redruth bandoleer disaster first headers shot stores