“But you neither of you got hurt?”
“No, sir; you see they warn’t very handy with the guns, and we kep’ going pretty fast.”
“But there’s a blood-stain upon your shirt, my lad.”
“Oh, that, sir? It did bleed a little bit, but it was only a scrat—nowt to speak about.”
“Indeed!” said Murray. “Well, it has left off bleeding, but the doctor must see to it when we get back to the Seafowl.”
“Oh yes, sir; that’ll be all right,” said the man, smiling; “and that’s all, I think, ’cept that we baled out the boat till we began to pull on again, for we was obliged to put some distance ’twixt us in case they should find some way up to the bank and begin practice again. Same time, sir, of course we had to think of not getting too far, so as to be handy when our fellows came back and wanted the cutter.”
“Well, but about finding Titely?” said Murray.
“Oh, there’s nothing to say about that, sir, on’y we didn’t quite get it settled whether he found us or we found him. Theer he was, hung up in one of the trees over the river, and glad he was to be took aboard—just as glad as we was to take him, sir, for you see it made another to share the ’sponsibility like of our not being where we ought to be with the boat. After that, sir, I wanted to hang about as close as we could to the enemy, ready to be handy and help our officers and men; but messmet Titely says we must go on pulling up stream in search of you and Tom May, and this must be all, sir, and my throat’s as dry as dust. Think this here water’s good to drink, sir? It looks too much like beer to be quite to my taste.”
“No, my lad; I wouldn’t venture to drink it. Better wait.”
“That’s what I says to Harry Lang, sir.”