Lead will be flying around soon." She flinched back into the crevice; the sailor fell prone.

Four bullets spat into the ledge, of which three pierced the tarpaulin and one flattened itself against the rock.
Then Jenks took up the tale.

So curiously constituted was this man, that although he ruthlessly shot the savage who first spied out their retreat, he was swayed only by the dictates of stern necessity.

There was a feeble chance that further bloodshed might be averted.

That chance had passed.