We 're near the bit now , and she 's too much way on her . Starboard a little -- so -- steady -- starboard -- larboard a little -- steady -- steady ! '' So he issued his commands , which I breathlessly obeyed , till , all of a sudden , he cried , `` Now , my hearty , luff ! '' And I put the helm hard up , and the HISPANIOLA swung round rapidly and ran stem on for the low , wooded shore . The excitement of these last manoeuvres had somewhat interfered with the watch I had kept hitherto , sharply enough , upon the coxswain . Even then I was still so much interested , waiting for the ship to touch , that I had quite forgot the peril that hung over my head and stood craning over the starboard bulwarks and watching the ripples spreading wide before the bows . I might have fallen without a struggle for my life had not a sudden disquietude seized upon me and made me turn my head . Perhaps I had heard a creak or seen his shadow moving with the tail of my eye ; perhaps it was an instinct like a cat 's ; but , sure enough , when I looked round , there was Hands , already half-way towards me , with the dirk in his right hand . We must both have cried out aloud when our eyes met , but while mine was the shrill cry of terror , his was a roar of fury like a charging bully 's . At the same instant , he threw himself forward and I leapt sideways towards the bows . As I did so , I let go of the tiller , which sprang sharp to leeward , and I think this saved my life , for it struck Hands across the chest and stopped him , for the moment , dead . Before he could recover , I was safe out of the corner where he had me trapped , with all the deck to dodge about . Just forward of the main-mast I stopped , drew a pistol from my pocket , took a cool aim , though he had already turned and was once more coming directly after me , and drew the trigger . The hammer fell , but there followed neither flash nor sound ; the priming was useless with sea-water . I cursed myself for my neglect . Why had not I , long before , reprimed and reloaded my only weapons ? Then I should not have been as now , a mere fleeing sheep before this butcher . Wounded as he was , it was wonderful how fast he could move , his grizzled hair tumbling over his face , and his face itself as red as a red ensign with his haste and fury . I had no time to try my other pistol , nor indeed much inclination , for I was sure it would be useless . One thing I saw plainly : I must not simply retreat before him , or he would speedily hold me boxed into the bows , as a moment since he had so nearly boxed me in the stern .
Once so caught , and nine or ten inches of the blood-stained XXXXX would be my last experience on this side of eternity .
HISPANIOLA bulwarks coxswain dirk hammer luff manoeuvres right sea-water tiller