Barbour County index., 1899-06-21

great roaring and cursing, and in the
midst of it four or five of them dashed
recklessly in. The foremost bent for
ward, and | saw his hand go out with
a pistol in it, but before he could fire
the captain let bang at him and he
fetched up short and gave queer sort
of writhing bow and fell back upon
the threshold. The others hung in the
wind moment. whereupon Capt. Sell
inger raised great shout and set
upon them with his sword. ] had
moment now to glance over my shoul
der, and perceived that Mr.. Tym was
holding the others at bay. they. in
deed crowding together, cursing and
stamping, bat not offering to advance.
Encouraged at this and wishing to be
performing some part, caught up Mr..
Tym's cloak, which I had before neg
lected, wound it around my left arm.
and, having exchanged the pistol for
my sheathknife. advanced a pace and
made ready to fall on. BY this time
the light in the place was exceeding
dim, the smoke, though in part draw
ing up through the companion, con-
tinuing also about the lanthorn. till it
had the seeming of beacon in fog.
Nevertheless, upon looking with some
intentness, L made out that the fellows
the captain was fighting were three of
the ordinary sailors, by name Tom
Doll, Will Nlinton and Jack Wal
ling, all men of fair courage but not
extraordinarily able of body or OF
known skill with weapons.
"Have at one of these fellows, sir!"
] shouted 60 the captain. and. discreet
~ picking out Doll made bold dash
and SO dis1nayed the rascal that he
fetched has blow at me before the time,
and / closed with him ere he could get
his hanger up again and dug my knife
into his side. He collapsed like an
empty sack. uttering direful groan.
and at the same moment the captain
run Miuton through the heart. Wal
ling, who was an active fellow. there
upon yshirled short and with one fly
ing bound cleared the door and landed
we'll out upon the deck.
"That gives us riddance of so many
of the request" puffed the captain. who
was by this time very short of breath.
Stay you here. Ardick, and guard the
companion while i go to Tym's assist
ance. By ST, Paul! he has little need
| of it, such poltroons as these fellows
| bel"
Mr.. lynn had aow fallen back pace
from his first station, for some of his
| adversaries had obtained pistols, and
as we joined him they let go sort of
scattering volley. Their range was
| limited on account Of the walls of the
stairs, and no harm was done. There
was bit of silence, but not to men
ton, and Immediately the whole gang
came bursting up. Then it was that
the supercargo acquitted himself rare
ly. Forward he darted, and before the
first fellow, who happened to be Pierre
Lovigne, could order his guard the
little Ethe man stopped. whipped in
and passed his sword foot through
the burly rascars midriff. Back two
PAGES then. and, as the next fellow
pressed on. the sword flew round, and
with sidelong stroke shore away
| two OF three OF the rascal's fingers. 1t
was all while I seemed to be getting
one long breath and letting it out
again!
! "aave at We, scum!" yelled the cap
tain, fired at this feat of arms, and he
brandished his sword and 1an in upon
the now crowded and confused sea-
| men.
Mr.. lynn saw the opportunity and
| sprang to his side, and together they
thrust and slashed so fiercely. and yet
with such deadly skill, that three more
of the sailors were either killed or des-
perately wounded, and the others
broke and poured headlong down the
steps.
/ The captains blood was up. and he
made to follow. but Mr.. lynn caught
him by the sleeve. and in word or
two showed him the danger of it, SO
that he reluctantly gave over.
All this time that arch traitor, the
mate, had kept in the background. but
now we heard his voice, and I conjec-
tured that he was rating and perhaps
trying to rally his men, 1t seemed
that he had been in the rear of those
who came up from 'tween-decks, but
either from necessity or inclination
had fallen back when Mr.. Tym and the
captain made their final onslaught.
But DO what he could the fellows he
| was talking to had no heart for fur
ther ventures, and we heard them
break away from him and retreat to
the forward part of the ship. He must
have followed, for it was Immediately
quiet tween decks, and so that point
of our defense seemed to be safe
enough. AS for the companion, it still
stood open, just as they had broken it
in, but the misused door only banged
at will with the motion of the ship. and
no one appeared to be near it or to
guard it.
We were now minded to investigate
the condition of the fallen mutineers
and found all dead. Capt Sellinger was
for bringing the affair to a head with
out further parley, and would have us
sally out and fall upon the fellows and
cut them down il they would not sur
render. Mr.. lynn opposed this. saying
we were still three against eight. not
including the wounded sailor and old
Lewson (the latter would hardly de
sert to us as yeti, and in the open deck
we could not expect to work such
havoc aswe had in the cabin. In the at
tack here they had fallen on us without
order or precision, crowding together
till they could not get the avail OF
their weapons, and missing their shots
because of their hastiness. but on deck
4 =