A strong discouragement assailed him . If their enemies were really on the watch , if they had beleaguered the shoreward end of the pier , he and Lord Foxham were taken in a posture of very poor defence , the sea behind , the men jostled in the dark upon a narrow causeway . He gave a cautious whistle , the signal previously agreed upon . It proved to be a signal far more than he desired . Instantly there fell , through the black night , a shower of arrows sent at a venture ; and so close were the men huddled on the pier that more than one was hit , and the arrows were answered with cries of both fear and pain . In this first discharge , Lord Foxham was struck down ; Hawksley had him carried on board again at once ; and his men , during the brief remainder of the skirmish , fought -LRB- when they fought at all -RRB- without guidance . That was perhaps the chief cause of the disaster which made haste to follow . At the shore end of the pier , for perhaps a minute , Dick held his own with a handful ; one or two were wounded upon either side ; steel crossed steel ; nor had there been the least signal of advantage , when in the twinkling of an eye the tide turned against the party from the ship . Someone cried out that all was lost ; the men were in the very humour to lend an ear to a discomfortable counsel ; the cry was taken up . `` On board , lads , for your lives ! '' cried another . A third , with the true instinct of the coward , raised that inevitable report on all retreats : `` We are betrayed ! '' And in a moment the whole mass of men went surging and jostling backward down the pier , turning their defenceless backs on their pursuers and piercing the night with craven outcry . One coward thrust off the ship 's stern , while another still held her by the bows . The fugitives leaped , screaming , and were hauled on board , or fell back and perished in the sea . Some were cut down upon the pier by the pursuers . Many were injured on the ship 's deck in the blind haste and terror of the moment , one man leaping upon another , and a third on both . At last , and whether by design or accident , the bows of the Good Hope were liberated ; and the ever-ready Lawless , who had maintained his place at the helm through all the hurly-burly by sheer strength of body and a liberal use of the cold steel , instantly clapped her on the proper tack . The ship began to move once more forward on the stormy sea , its scuppers running blood , its deck heaped with fallen men , sprawling and struggling in the dark . Thereupon , Lawless sheathed his dagger , and turning to his next neighbour , `` I have left my mark on them , gossip , '' said he , `` the yelping , coward hounds . ''
Now , while they were all leaping and struggling for their lives , the men had not appeared to observe the rough shoves and cutting stabs with which XXXXX had held his post in the confusion .
Dick Foxham Lawless dagger first minute neighbour night scuppers third