They had better not see Death, till it can't be helped. They'll see it
soon enough."
"Harry!" I answered, holding up his head. "Comrade!"
He was cut to pieces. The signal had been secured by the first pirate
party that landed; his hair was all singed off, and his face was
blackened with the running pitch from a torch.
He made no complaint of pain, or of anything. "Good-bye, old chap," was
all he said, with a smile. "I've got my death. And Death ain't life. Is
it, Gill?"
Having helped to lay his poor body on one side, I went back to my post.
Sergeant Drooce looked at me, with his eyebrows a little lifted. I
nodded. "Close up here men, and gentlemen all!" said the Sergeant. "A
place too many, in the line."
The Pirates were so close upon us at this time, that the foremost of them
were already before the gate. More and more came up with a great noise,
and shouting loudly. When we believed from the sound that they were all
there, we gave three English cheers. The poor little children joined,
and were so fully convinced of our being at play, that they enjoyed the
noise, and were heard clapping their hands in the silence that followed.
Our disposition was this, beginning with the rear.
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