Frank took advantage of this, and lifting the insensible form of his friend, retreated under cover, and laid him on a mattress behind a pile of coal, where he would be safe from the bullets of the guerrillas, which now began to come through the sides of the boat in every direction.
This was the first time Frank had ever been under fire, and he was thoroughly frightened; but he knew that it was his duty to resist the rebels, and to do them as much damage as possible; so, instead of looking round for a safe place to hide, his first impulse was to run up on deck after a gun.

This he knew was a dangerous undertaking, for the vessel lay close to the bank, the top of which was on a level with the boiler-deck; and behind the levee, scarcely half a dozen rods distant, were the guerrillas, who were ready to shoot the first man that appeared.
Nevertheless, Frank resolved to make the attempt, for he wanted to take revenge on them for shooting Simpson.

But, just as he was about to start out, he heard the captain shout down through the trumpet which ran from the pilot-house to the engine-room: "Back her, strong! We must get away from the bank or they will pick us all off." In obedience to the order, the engineers let on the steam, and a heavy puffing told Frank that the powerful engines were doing their utmost to break the line which held them to the bank.

Here was another thing that Frank knew he ought to do; he knew that he ought to cut that line, for it would be an impossibility to break it.

There was an ax handy, and a sudden rush and a couple of lusty strokes would put the vessel out of danger.
But, at short intervals, he heard the bullets crashing through the side of the boat, and he knew that the guerrillas were on the watch.