"That's your sort, lads," cried a cheery voice. "Down with 'em, and
I'll stow. It's like bricklaying with big bricks."

"Who's that?" I said sharply, for the man's back was towards me, and it
was getting quite dark where we were.

"Me it is, sir--Bob Saunders, sir. Beg pardon, sir."

"Yes; what is it?"

"Tide's going down very fast, sir, arn't it?"

"Yes; why?"

"'Cause we don't seem to get no forrarder. Hi! steady there! D'yer
want to bury yer orficer?"

"Never mind me, man. Stow away; she must soon be lightened enough to
make her float."

"Then we'll lighten her, sir; but don't you go and give orders for any
of the stuff to be chucked overboard. It's too vallerble for that."

"Only as a last resource, Bob," I replied.

"Beg pardon, sir."

"Don't," I cried to the man who touched me. "Never mind ceremony now;
go on firing."

"Yes, sir; but Tom Jecks says, sir, would you like six on us to land and
have a go at the beggars?"

"No," I cried. "Keep together; we may be afloat at any moment."

"Right, sir; on'y we're all willing, if you give the word."

"I know that," I cried. "But be careful, my lads. It's a terrible
position, with our chief officer down like this."

"So it is, sir," said the man, taking careful aim at a part of the bank
where he thought that he saw a movement. Then, almost simultaneously,
there was a flash from the place, and another from his rifle muzzle.

"Either on us hit?" he said coolly, as I clapped my hand to my ear,
which felt as if a jet of cold air had touched it. "Don't think I
touched him, sir, but he has cut off. I can hear him going. Not hurt,
are you, sir?"

"No; a bullet must have gone close to my ear," I said.

"Oh yes; I felt that, sir. It went between us. But it's no use to take
no notice o' misses."

"Well?" I said; for one of the men behind me now touched my arm, and I
found it was Bob Saunders.

"We're getting dead down at the head, sir; hadn't we better begin
stowing aft?"

"Yes, yes, of course," I said excitedly, and feeling annoyed that I had
not thought of this myself.

"Then, if you'll make the lads ease off to starboard and port, sir,
we'll soon pack a row of these here little bales between 'em. Or look
here, sir! how would it be to bring 'em a bit amidships, and let us
begin right astarn, and build up a sort o' bulwark o' bales? They could
fire from behind it when we'd done."

"Yes, capital!" I cried, once more annoyed with m