Coetquen, sporting with me in return, took his gun, which he thought to be unloaded, and pointed it at me.

But to our great surprise the weapon went off.
Fortunately for me, I was at that moment lying flat upon the bed.

Three balls passed just above my head, and then just above the heads of our two tutors, who were walking outside the tent.

Coetquen fainted at thought of the mischief he might have done, and we had all the pains in the world to bring him to himself again.

Indeed, he did not thoroughly recover for several days.