I was employed with one of my shipmates in this work, when some clumsy fellows who were handling another bale behind me pitched it over in such a careless manner that it struck my left leg, which it doubled up like a rattan.

I felt that my leg was fractured, indeed, I heard the bone snap, and threw myself on a gun carriage, making wry faces in consequence of the pain I suffered.
"Are you MUCH hurt, Hawser ?" inquired the chief mate, in a tone of irony, and with a grim smile.
"Yes, sir; badly hurt.

I'm afraid my leg is broken." "Not so bad as that, I hope," exclaimed Stetson, with some display of anxiety.

"I guess you are more frightened than hurt.

Let me look at your leg." He found my surmises were correct, and expressed more sympathy for my misfortune than I could have expected.