Making a quick movement and throwing myself backward, I averted the ball which grazed my shoulder. I was holding my carbine loaded with one shot. At the moment when the pirate, seeing he had missed me, struck me on the head with the butt end of his pistol, I thrust the barrel of my carbine full against his chest, and fired.
The concussion was so strong that my arms were benumbed.
The pirate wheeled violently, stumbled against me, and fell on his back, gasping convulsively.
I turned about and trod upon some one; it was Falmouth, who was lying at the foot of the mainmast.
"You are wounded?" I cried, throwing myself upon him.
"I believe that I have something like a broken thigh; but pay no heed to me!" he exclaimed. "Take care! there comes another of those robbers, I see his head, face him or you are lost!"
My heart was broken at the sight of Falmouth extended on the deck.
I did not for a moment dream of the danger I was running; I wished first of all to rescue Henry from a certain death, for being thus unable to defend himself, he would be inevitably massacred.