Now, the four bow
oars get out and step ashore."
When the lieutenant and his four men had landed, the boat again pushed
off, and the party on shore made their way along over the rocks at the
edge of the water until they were opposite the rock where Lieutenant
Desmond had seen the man appear. Then the ascent was commenced. The
four officers went first, the men following in a line.
"Bear a little to the left," Captain O'Connor said; "it is likely to
lie somewhere in that direction. The man we saw would have been making
toward the path and not from it. Keep a sharp lookout between these
great rocks; there is no saying where the entrance to their
hiding-place may be."
Almost as he spoke there was a sharp crack of a rifle, and the bullet
struck the rock on which he was standing.
"Come on, lads!" he shouted, "the sooner we are there the less time
they have got to fire;" and with a cheer the men hurried forward,
scrambling recklessly over the rocks. Again and again puffs of smoke
darted out from the rocks in front; and one of the soldiers fell, shot
through the heart.
"Don't stop to fire!" Captain O'Connor shouted as a yell of rage broke
from the men; "you will do no good, and it will only give them more
time."
A dozen more shots were fired. One of the coast-guard men was shot
through the shoulder; but this was the only casualty, for the quick
movements of the men as they scrambled over the bowlders disconcerted
the aim of those above.
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