He lasted until seven. It was not the pistol that concerned him so much as her overall jaggedness, the look in her eye. He dropped the rope in the sea, raised his hands, and sidled up onto the beach, keeping well clear of Eliza, then turned and took off running toward the other group. ‘Twas not a bad play. If he'd stayed, the pistol might have fired, and he'd be dead and they'd lose the boat for certain. But there was a good chance that they could get it back from Eliza if he got help from the others.