“All my life,” answered Ranulph, “and, by your leave, I will tell you how.”
Not waiting for permission, after the manner of his country, he told Richambeau of his Jersey birth and bringing up, and how he was the victim of the pressgang.
“Very good,” said Richambeau. “You Jersey folk were once Frenchmen, and now that you’re French again, you shall do something for the flag. You see that 12-pounder yonder to the right? Very well, dismount it. Then we’ll send in a flag of truce, and parley with this Mattingley, for his jests are worth attention and politeness. There’s a fellow at the gun—no, he has gone. Dismount the right-hand gun at one shot. Ready now. Get a good range.”
The whole matter went through Ranulph’s mind as the captain spoke. If he refused to fire, he would be strung up to the yardarm; if he fired and missed, perhaps other gunners would fire, and once started they might raze the fishing-post. If he dismounted the gun, the matter would probably remain only a jest, for such as yet Richambeau regarded it.
Ranulph ordered the tackle and breechings cast away, had off the apron, pricked a cartridge, primed, bruised the priming, and covered the vent. Then he took his range steadily, quietly. There was a brisk wind blowing from the south—he must allow for that; but the wind was stopped somewhat in its course by the Perch Rock—he must allow for that.
All was ready. Suddenly a girl came running round the corner of the building.
It was Carterette. She was making for the right-hand gun. Ranulph started, the hand that held the match trembled.
“Fire, you fool, or you’ll kill the girl!” cried Richambeau.
Ranulph laid a hand on himself as it were. Every nerve in his body tingled, his legs trembled, but his eye was steady. He took the sight once more coolly, then blew on the match. Now the girl was within thirty feet of the gun.
He quickly blew on the match again, and fired. When the smoke cleared away he saw that the gun was dismounted, and not ten feet from it stood Carterette looking at it dazedly.