Williston graphic., 1899-02-10
ou, of him thrust headlonp for,v, =,

great TOarlnS ana curSlng, and IN the
midst of it four or five OF them dashed
recklessly in. The foremost bent for
ward, and l 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 a great shout and set
upon them with his sword. I had a
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, but not offering to advance.
Encouraged at this and wishing to be
performing some part, caught up Mr..
Tym's cloak, which had before neg
lected. wound it around my left arm.
and, having exchanged the pistol for
my sheathknife. advanced 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. made out that the fellows
the captain was fighting were three Of
the ordinary sailors, by name Tom
Doll, Will Minton and Jack Wal
ling, all men of fair courage but not
extraordinarily able of body or OF
known skill with weapons.
slave at one of these fellows. sir!"
I shouted to the captain, and, discreet
ly picking out Doll, made bold dash
and so dismayed the rascal that he
fetched his blow t 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 Minton through the heart. Wal.
ling, who was an active fellow, there
upon whirled 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" putfed the captain, who
was by this time very short of breath.
Stay you here, Ardick, and guard the
companion while go to Tym's assist
ance. BY ST. Paul! he has little need
of it, such poltroons as these fellows
bel"
Mr.. Tym had now 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 voHey. 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 rascal's midriff. Back two
PAGES then. and, as the next fellow
pressed on, the sword flew round, and
with sidelong stroke shore away
two or three of the rascal's fingers. 1t
was all while seemed to be getting
one long breath and letting it out
again!
"Have at ye, scum!" yelled the gap.
tain, fired at this feat of arms, and he
brandished his sword and ran in upon
the now crowded and confused Sea.
men.
Mr.. Tym saw the opportunity sad
sprang to his side, and together tb-y
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, anal he
made to follow, but Mr.. Tym caught
him by the sleeve, and in a 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 head with
out further parley, and would have us
sally out and fall upon the fellows and
cut them down if they would not sur
render. Mr.. Tym 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 uswithout
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