away, while Mark thrust back his revolver, and
waded out to where Mr Morgan was trying to raise himself in the water
and kept falling back.

"No, no, not much hurt, my lad," he gasped. "Got the gig ashore? Hah!
That's saved."

He had just caught sight of Gregory's excited face as he came splashing
towards him to pant hoarsely:

"That's right! Hold him a moment and I'll be back."

He was back directly with the gig, and by that time the men were about
him, and the injured man was carried ashore, two of the sailors dragging
the gig right up to the sands, upon which Mr Morgan was laid.

"Let me look," said the major, taking out his knife and ripping up the
mate's shirt. "Ah! I see. I've had some experience of these things.
A nasty cut, my dear boy, but it isn't wide enough to let out your
spirit. You let me put a bandage on it, and I warrant it will soon
heal."

"Poisoned, major?" whispered the injured man.

"Poisoned, bedad! Nonsense, man. It's a clean cut in your shoulder,
and thank your stars it was there, and not in your chest."

"Look out!" shouted one of the men.

His reason was apparent, for one of the praus, seeing that the Malays
were going back discomfited, began firing from her brass gun, sending a
ball skipping over the water, and it finally dashed high up among the
trees.

"Bah! let him fire," said the major scornfully; "they couldn't hit the
Hill o' Howth, and the safest place to be in is the one they aim at.
There, my dear boy, that's a business-like job, and it's in your left
shoulder. Now, Gregory, what's to be done?"

"We must go off at once in the gig and retake the ship," said Gregory
sternly.

"No," said the major, shaking his head, as he gazed out to where the
_Petrel_ lay.

"Not go, sir, and you've got a wife and child on board."

"And I a father and mother," groaned Mark to himself.

"Yes, sir; and I've got a wife and child on board," said the major
sadly; "and I want to help them. But I'm a soldier, Mr Gregory, and
I've learned a little of the art of war, and it isn't the way to save
people in a beleaguered fort to go blindly and throw away your life and
that of your men."

"But those on board, sir," groaned Morgan. "Hadn't we better share
their fate?"

"We don't know their peril yet," said the major; "but I know this, if
anything has happened to my poor wife--and child," he added softly, "my
sword and pistol were in the cabin, and some one or two black scoundrels