The times., 1893-01-27


gave me, and could no more pull the
trigger than l could have flown.
He had dropped his cutlass as he
jumped and when he felt the pistol
whipped straight around and laid hold
of me, roaring out an oath, and at that
either my courage came again or grew
so much afraid, as came to the same
thing, for gave shrek and shot him
in the midst of the body. He gave the
most horrible, ugly groan and fell to the
floor. The foot of second fellow, whose
legs were dangling through the sky
light, struck me at the same time upon
the head, and at that / snatched another
pistol and shot this one through the
thigh, SO that he slipped through and
tumbled in q lump on his companions
body. There was no talk of missing any
more than there was time to aim. l
clapped the muzzle to the very place and
fired.
might have stood and stared at them
for long. but l heard Alan shout as if
for help, and that brought me to my
senses.
He had kept the door so long; but one
of the seamen, while he was engaged
with others, had run in under his guard
and caught him about the body. Alan
was dirking him with his left hand, but
the fellow clung like a leech. Another
had broken in and had his cutlass
raised. The door was thronged with
their faces. l thought we were lost.
and catching up my cutlass fell on them
in flank.
But l had no time to be of help. The
wrestler dropped at last, and Alan,
leaping back to get his distance, ran
upon the others like bull, roaring as
he went. They broke before him like
water, turning and running, and falling
one against another in their haste. The
sword in his hands flashed like quick
silver into the huddle of our fleeing ene-
mics, and at every flash there came the
scream of man hurt. [ was still
thinking we were lost, when 10. they
were all gone, and Alan was driving
them along the deck as sheep dog
chases sheep.
Yet he was no sooner out than he was
back again, being as cautious as he was
brave, and meanwhile the seamen con-
tinued running and crying out as if he
was still behind them, and we heard
them tumble one upon another in the
forecastle and clap to the hatch upon
the top.
The roundhouse was like shambles:
three were dead inside, another lay IN
his death agony across the threshold.
and there were Alan and 1 victorious
and unhurt.
He came up to me with open arr .
''Come to my arms" he cried, and ca
braced and kissed me hard upon both
cheeks. David" said he, 81 love VOL
like a brother. And, oh, man." he c. ~
in kind of ecstasy, IAN nae a boz =
fighter"
Thereupon he turned to the four q.
mics, passed his sword clean thro =
each Of them and tumbled them OF
doors one after the other. AS he di -
he kept humming and singing and "
Ting to himself, like u man trying
recall an air, only what he was try
was to make one. All the while
flush was in his face and his eyes W. -
az bright as five-year- child's vi
e new toy. And presently he sat doy ,
upon the table, sword in hand; the :
that he was making all the time be- !
to run little clearer and then clec :
still, and then out he burst with gr al
voice into Gaelic song.
In the meanwhile, what with the lon; /;
suspense of the waiting, and the scurry
and strain of our two spurts Of fighting.
and more than all, the horror l had of
some Of my own share in it, the thing
was no sooner over than l was glad 20
stagger to q seat. There was that tight
ness on my chest that / could hardly
breathe; the thought of the two men
had shot sat upon me like nightmare,
and all upon q sudden, and before had
guess of what was coming, began TO
sob and cry like any child.
Alan clapped my shoulder and said
was brave lad, and wanted nothing
but sleep.
I'll take the first watch" said he.
"Ye've done well by me, David, first
and last, and wouldn't lose you for all
Appin-no, nor for Breadalbane."
SO he made UP my bed on the floor
and took the first spell, pistol in hand
and sword on knee; three hours by the
captains watch upon the wall. Then
he reused me up and l took my turn. Of
three hours, before the end Of which it
was broad day and very quiet morn
ing, with smooth, rolling sea that
tossed the ship and made the blood rui,
to and fro on the roundhouse floor, and
a heavy rain that drummed upon the
roof. All my watch there was nothing
stirring, and by the banging of the helm
knew they had even no ono at tie
tiller.
Indeed, as l learned afterward, there
were so many of them hurt or dead. and
the rest in so i'll a temper, that Mr.. Riach
and the captain had to take turn and
turn in, like Alan and me, or the brig
might have gone ashore and nobody The
wiser. 1t was n mercy the night had
| fallen so still, for the wind had gone
down as soon as the rain began. Even
as it was l judged by the wailing of a
great number of gulls that went crying
| and fishing around the ship that she