I
looked him steady in the face without tumbling while he looked at me, I
am happy to say; but, when they went away, I fell, and lay there.
The sun was up, when I was roused and told to come down to the beach and
be embarked. I was full of aches and pains, and could not at first
remember; but, I remembered quite soon enough. The killed were lying
about all over the place, and the Pirates were burying their dead, and
taking away their wounded on hastily-made litters, to the back of the
Island. As for us prisoners, some of their boats had come round to the
usual harbour, to carry us off. We looked a wretched few, I thought,
when I got down there; still, it was another sign that we had fought
well, and made the enemy suffer.
The Portuguese Captain had all the women already embarked in the boat he
himself commanded, which was just putting off when I got down. Miss
Maryon sat on one side of him, and gave me a moment's look, as full of
quiet courage, and pity, and confidence, as if it had been an hour long.
On the other side of him was poor little Mrs. Fisher, weeping for her
child and her mother. I was shoved into the same boat with Drooce and
Packer, and the remainder of our party of marines: of whom we had lost
two privates, besides Charker, my poor, brave comrade.
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