Page:Barbour--For the freedom from the seas.djvu/72

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CHAPTER V

A CHANCE ENCOUNTER

MANY of the subsequent details Nelson failed to see, for he was put aboard the Wanderer and consigned to his bunk, after which Sawyer, machinist's mate and the nearest thing to a surgeon that the boat boasted, made a fairly neat job of cleansing and bandaging the wound.

"The bullet's in there yet, Chatty," he said with what sounded like professional satisfaction. "I can feel it and——"

"Ouch! So can I!" affirmed Nelson.

"Sure! But a doc will have it out in no time. If it hasn't bust the bone you'll be lucky, though." With which cheering observation Sawyer went his way and Nelson laid there and ruefully considered his luck and tried to picture, through the evidence of his ears, what was going on "topside."

Half an hour after the surprise party in the cave, the four prisoners were safely aboard,

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