Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1896-08-03


neither WINGED nor drew back foot.
"a naked sword?" SAYS he This is
a strange return for hospitality"
''Do you see me?' said Alan. Il am
come OF kings; | bear a kings name.
Ny badge is the oak. Do We see my
mair Whigamores than you have toes
upon your feet. Call up your yermin to
your back, sir, and fall on The sooner
the slash begins, the sooner yen taste
this steel throughout your. yitals.'
The captain said nothing to Alan, but
David, said he, ''Tll mind this and
the sound of his voice went through me
with = iar.
Next moment he was gone.
''And now" said Alan, f'let your hand
keep your head. for the grip is coming"
Alan drew a dirk, which he held in his
left hand in case they should run. in
clambered UP into the berth
with an armful of i pistols and
something of a heavy heart, and set open
the window where [ was ito watch. 1t
was small part of the deck that could
overlook but enough foE9 our purpose.
was steady and kept the sails quiet; so
that there was a great stiffness in the
ship, in which [ made sure / heard the
sound of muttering voicess7A little after,
and there came clash of steel upon the
deck, by which [ knew they We're deal
ing out the cutlaSSeS and gOne had been
let fall; and after that silence again.
| do not know if I was, what you call
afraid; but my heart beat like birds,
both quick and little; and there was
dimness came before my eyes which /
continually rubbed away, and which con-
tinually returned AS for hope, I had
none; but only a darkness Of despair and
a sort Of anger against all the world that
made me long to sell my life as dear as
| was abe. | tried to pray, | remember,
but that same hurry of my mind, like a
man running, would not suffer me to
think upon the words; and my chief
wish was to have the thing begin and be
done with it.
1t .became all of a sudden when it did,
with a rush of feet and roar, and then
a shout from Alan, and a sound of blows
and someone crying out as if hurt. |
looked back over my shoulder, and saw
Mr.. Shuan in the doorway, crossing
blades with Alan. 4sios
THAT'S him that killed the boy!" I
cried. ~
Look to your Window" said Alan;
and as | turned back to mY,place, | saw
him pass his sword through. the mate
body.
1t was none too soon for.me to look TO
my own part; for my head was scarce
Dack at the W1uuOW UolQI0 I'VE IACI1,
carrying a spare yard for a batterlng-
ram, ran past me and took. post to drive
the door in [ had never fred with a
pistol in my life, and not often with q
gun; far less against fellbw-crea tire.
But it was now or never; and just as
they swung the yard, | cried out, Take
thati" and shot into their midst.
I must have hit one of them, for he
sang out and gave back a step, and the
rest stopped as if a little disconnected.
Before they had time to. recover L sent
another ball over their heads; and at my
third shot (Which went as, wide as the
second) the whole party threw down the
yard and ran for it. -
Then [ looked round again into the
| deckhouse The whole place was full
! of the smoke of my own firing, just as
my ears seemed to burst with the noise
of the shots. But there was Alan,
standing as before; only now his sword
was running blood to the hilt, and him
self so swelled with triumph and fallen
into so fine an attitude, that he looked
to be invincible. Right before him on
the floor was Mr.. Shuan, on his hands
and knees; the blood was ,pouring from
his mouth. and he was sinking slowly
lower, with a terrible, white face; and
just as | looked, some Of those from
behind caught hold of him by the heels
and dragged him bodily out of the round
house | believe he died as they were
| doing it. :.
There's one of your Wings for yen'
cried Alan; and then turning to me, he
asked if l had done much execution.
[ told him 1 had winged one, and
thought it was the captain.fi
"And I've settled two" says he. mo,
there's not enough blood let; they'll be
This was but a dram before meat
I settled back to my place, recharg-
inc the three piston I had fired and
keeping watch with both eye and ear.
Our enemies were disputing not far off
upon the deck, and that so loudly that
! could hear word or two above the
washing of the seas.
1T was Shuan bauchled [bungledl it, =
| heard one say.
And another answered him with a
''Wheesht, man! He's paid the piper
After that the voices fell again into the
same muttering as before. Only now,
one person spoke most of the time, as
though laying down plan, and first one
and then another answered him briefly,
like men taking orders. By this, | made
sure they were coming on again, and told
| Alan.
Its whac we have to pray for,' said
he. Unless we can give them a good
distaste of us, and done with it, therell
be nae sleep for either you or me. But
! By this my pistols were ready, and there
was nothing to do but listen and wait.
While the brush lasted, L had not the
time to think l was frighted but now,
when all was still again, my mind ran
upon nothing else. The thought of the
sharp swords and the cold steel was
strong in me; and presently, when be-
gan to hear stealthy steps and a brush
ing of mems clothes against the round
house wall, and knew they We're taking
their places in the dark, / could have
found it in my mind to cry out aloud.
All this was upon Alan's side; and
had begun to think my share of the fight
was at an end, when ! heard some one
drop softly on the roof above me.
Then there came a single call on the
sea pipe, and that was the signal. A
knot of them made one rush of it. cutlass
III hand, against the door; land at the
same moment. the glass Of the skylight
was dashed into thousand pieces, and a
man leaped through and landed on the
floor. Before he got to his feet, | had
c!apped pistol to his back, and might
have shot him. too: only at the tOuch of