“How’s the captain?” demanded Buckland.
“Concussion and some fractures, I would say.”
“Badly hurt?”
“No knowing yet. Where are my mates? Ah, there you are, Coleman. Splints and bandages, man, as quick as you can get ‘em. And a carryingplank and a canvas and lines. Run, man! You, Pierce, come on down and help me.”
So the two surgeon’s mates had hardly made their appearance than they were hurried away.
“Carry on, corporal,” said Buckland.
“I dunno what I said, sir.”
“The captain brought you down here.”
“Yessir. ‘E ‘ad ‘is pistols in ‘is ‘ands, sir, like I said, sir. ‘E sent one file for’ard. ‘Stop every bolt’ole,’ ‘e says; an’ ‘e says, ‘You, corporal, take these two men down an’ search.’ ‘E—’e was yellin’, like. ‘E ‘ad ‘is pistols in ‘is ‘ands.”
The corporal looked anxiously at Buckland as he spoke.