I held my breath.

A second or two would decide the matter between us.
A musket barrel came poking round my bastion, but I was balanced like a fly on the seaward side.

Then Torode's dark eyes met mine as he peered cautiously round the corner.

He fired instantly, and my footing was too precarious to let me even duck.

My left arm tingled and went numb, but before he could draw a pistol I stepped to safer ground and launched my rock at him.