Even at that moment there was a terrific explosion.
A stream of lurid fire seemed to leap from the corner of the house, the wall split and fell outwards.

And then there came another sound, hideous, sickly, a sound Granet had heard before, the sound of a rifle bullet cutting its way through flesh, followed by an inhuman cry.

For a moment Collins' arms whirled around him.

Then, with no other sound save that one cry, he fell forward and disappeared.

For a single second Granet leaned over the side of the boat as though to dive after him.
Then came another roar.