"Well, I think that there is nothing more to be done here. The men
may as well have a tot of grog served out, and then the sailors
can march down to the landing place and bring up the boats and take
the guns and what ammunition you have left, on board. Mr. Morrison
will go back with me to the ship; he has one of his arms broken by
a ball from the prahus."
"I did not know that he was wounded, sir; he did not report it. I
should not have sent him if I had known it."
"It is just as well as it is, Ferguson; it will give me an opportunity
of specially recommending him for promotion in my report. The
assistant surgeon temporarily bandaged his arm when he reached the
ship."
"Is she afloat, sir?"
"No; I want you back as soon as possible. We shall have to get out
the anchors and heave on them. We put on a full head of steam and
drove her two or three hundred yards through the mud before she
finally brought up. I wanted to get as near to you as possible, in
order to clear the woods round you."
By two o'clock the whole ship's company were on board again, and
set to work to get her off; but it was not until after some hours'
exertion that the Serpent was again afloat. She was at once turned
round, steamed down to the mouth of the creek, and cast anchor
opposite the village.
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