he sailor began to saw the finger-joint with his knife, when down came
a twenty-four pound shot, and with such a good direction that it took
the shoe off the man's foot, and the shovel out of the hand of another
man. "In with him, and cover him up!" said the captain.

We did so; when another shot, not quite so well directed as the first,
threw the dirt in our faces, and ploughed the ground at our feet. The
captain, then ordered his men to run into the castle, which they
instantly obeyed; while he himself walked leisurely along through a
shower of musket-balls from those cursed Swiss dogs, whom I most
fervently wished at the devil, because, as an aide-de-camp, I felt bound
in honour as well as duty to walk by the side of my captain, fully
expecting every moment that a rifle-ball would have hit me where I
should have been ashamed to show the scar. I thought this funeral pace,
after the funeral was over, confounded nonsense; but my fire-eating
captain never had run away from a Frenchman, and did not intend to begin
then.

I was behind him, making these reflections, and as the shot began to fly
very thick, I stepped up alongside of him, and by degrees brought him
between me and the fire. "Sir," said I, "as I am only a midshipman, I
don't care so much about honour as you do; and therefore, if it makes no
difference to you, I'll take the liberty of getting under your lee." He
laughed, and said, "I did not know you were here, for I meant you should
have gone with the others; but, since you are out of your station, Mr
Mildmay, I will make that use of you which you so ingeniously proposed
to make of me. My life may be of some importance here; but yours very
little, and another midshipman can be had from the ship only for asking:
so just drop astern, if you please, and do duty as a breastwork for me!"

"Certainly, sir," said I, "by all means;" and I took my station
accordingly.

"Now," said the captain, "if you are `_doubled up_,' I will take you on
my shoulders!"

I expressed myself exceedingly obliged, not only for the honour he had
conferred on me, but also for that which he intended; but hoped I should
have no occasion to trouble him. Whether the enemy took pity on my
youth and _innocence_, or whether they purposely missed us, I cannot
say: I only know I was very happy when I found myself inside the castle
with a whole skin, and should very readily have reconciled myself to any
measure which would have restored me