"Here is some whisky and water," Ralph said, handing him his bottle. "Now, I will see what has happened to Desmond," and he stooped over the insensible officer.
"He has got a nasty gash on his forehead, and I think his right arm is broken," he said. "I will pour a little spirits between his lips, and then he had better be carried out into the air."
This was done; and then Ralph went outside, and shouted to Sergeant Morris to bring down another twenty men.
"If you please, sir," one of the coast-guard men said, touching his hat, "I don't see any signs of our officer. Have you seen him?"
"No," Ralph said. "Perhaps he is still in that passage. You had better run up to the top and see."
Two minutes later the man returned:
"He's down there, sir; but he says he can't get up or down."
"You had better run down to the boat at once," Ralph said. "I see she is close inshore. Bring a couple more of your men up with you and a rope. If you tie that round your body you can go down and bring him up."
Ralph then returned to the cavern, where the men were still guarding the prisoners.
"You can march them outside now," he said. "Then make them sit down, and stand over them with fixed bayonets till Sergeant Morris arrives. Now let us look to the wounded."