IV.
“Lift him in carefully,” said Lieutenant Fenton, as the boat's bows touched the beach; “he seems pretty weak.”
“Thank you, sir!” and the prisoner turned his dark eyes upon the officer. “I am nearly dropping. I got a hard hit in the chest with a musket butt from one of your men, sir.”
A couple of men lifted him in, and then as soon as the rest of his people had taken their places the lieutenant followed.
“Push off, Gates.”
As the heavy boat slid out from the shore into the still waters of the lagoon, the lieutenant glanced down at the manacled figure of his prisoner.
“Let him sit up, Adams, and take the irons off. He can't lie there like a trussed fowl; and see if one of you can't stop that bleeding.”
Adams bent down, and unlocking the handcuffs lifted him up.
Then, quick as thought, Jim Swain, dashing him aside, sprang overboard and dived towards the shore.