laurence cut the man 's harness-straps and kicked him off with a boot to the middle , then looked around for more boarders ; but by good fortune the others were all dead or disarmed , and for their part only challoner and wright had fallen , except for lieutenant johns , who was hanging from his carabiners , blood welling up furiously from a pistol-wound in his chest ; before they could try to tend him , he gave a final rattling gasp and also was still .