The fellow was too much amazed to strike, or close with him, or even swear, but received the vehement impact without any stay behind him.

So that he staggered back, hat downward, and striking one heel on a stone, fell over the brink of the shallow cliff to the sand below.
The lieutenant, who never had thought of this, was terribly scared, and his wrath turned cold.

For although the fall was of no great depth, and the ground at the bottom so soft, if the poor man had struck it poll foremost, as he fell, it was likely that his neck was broken.

Without any thought of his crippled heel, Carroway took the jump himself.
As soon as he recovered from the jar, which shook his stiff joints and stiffer back, he ran to the coast-guardsman and raised him, and found him very much inclined to swear.

This was a good sign, and the officer was thankful, and raised him in the gravelly sand, and kindly requested him to have it out, and to thank the Lord as soon as he felt better.