Arizona republican., 1899-02-27

when our eyes met; but while mine
 was the shrill cry of terror, his was a
 roar of fury like q charging bulls. Al
 the same instant he threw himself for
 ward, and I leaped sideways toward the
 bows. As 1 did so l left hold of the
 tiller, which sprung sharp to leeward; !;
 and l think this saved my life. for it l struck Hands across the chest, and | stopped him, for the moment, dead
 Before he could recover 1 was safe
 out of the corner where he had trapped
 me, with all the deck to dodge about.
 Just forward of the mainmast | topped, drew pistol from my pocket,
 drew cool aim, though he had already
 turned and was once more comlrg di-
 rectly after me, and drew the trigger | The hammer fell, but there followed
 neither flash nor sound; the priming
 was useless with seawater. l cursed
 myself for my neglect. Why had not l, long before, reprimed and reloaded
 my only weapon? Then l should not
 have been, as now, mere fleeing sheep before this butcher.
 Wounded as he was, it was wonderful how fast ke could move, his grizzled hair tumbling over his face, and his face itself as red as red ensign with his haste and fury. I had no time to try my other pistol, nor, in | deed, much inclination, for l was sure it was useless. One thing I saw plain ly; must not simply retreat before him, or he would speedily hold me boxed in the bows, as ;l moment since he had so nearly boxed me in the stern. Once so caught, and nine or ter inches
 of the blood-stained dirk would be my last experience on this side Of eter- rity. I placed my Ialrns against the mainmast, which was of q goodish big ness, and waited, every nerve upon the stretch.
 Seeing that I meant to dodge, he also paused, and a moment or two passed in feints on his part, and corresponding movements upon mine. It was such game as I had often played at home about the rocks of Black Hill cove; but never before, you may be sure, with such wildly beating heart as now. Still. as I say. it was q boys game, and I thought I could hold lhy own at it against an elderly seaman with q wounded thigh. Indeed, my courage had begun to rise so high that I allowed myself few darting thoughts on what would be the end of the affair; and while I saw certainly that I could spin it out for long, I saw no hope of any ultimate escape.
 Well, while things stood thus, sud denly the "HispaEiola" struck, stag gered, ground for an instant in the sand, and then, swift as a blow, can tered over to the port side, till the deck stood at an angle Of 45 degrees, and about :. puncheOn of water spl2shcd into the scupper-holes, and lay in q pool between the deck ard bulwarll.
 We were both of us capsized in sec ond, and both of ns rolled, almost to- gether, into the scuppers, the dead red cap, with his arms still spread out, tumbIing stif1ly sitter us. So near were we, indeed, that my head came against the cockswain's $ foot with crack that made my teeth rattle. Blow and all, I was the first afoot again, for Hands had got involved with the dead body. | The sudden canting of the ship had made the deck no place for running on; I had to find some new way of es- cape, and that upon the instant, for my foe was almost touching me. | Quick as thought I sprang into the mizzen shrouds, rattled up hand over hand, and did not draw a breath till | I was seated on the cross-trees.
 I had been saved by being prompt; the dirk had struck not half foot be- low me, as 1 pursued my upward flight; and there stood Israel Hands with his mouth open and face upturned to mine, q perfect statue of surprise and Gisap- 1 pointment.
 Now that I had a moment to my self, I lost no time in changing the | priming of my pistol, and then, having | one ready for service, and to make as surance doubly sure, l proceeded to | draw the load of the other and re- charge it afresh from the beginning. |
 My new employment struck Hands | all of a heap; he began to see the dice going against him; and after an ob- vious hesitation, he again hauled him. self heavily into the shrouds, and. with | dirk in his teeth, began slowly and pain fully to mount. It cost him no end | of time and groans to haul his wounded . leg behind him, and I had quietly fin ished my arrangements before he was much more than third of the way up. neH, NIln d PlSlOl III c1CHer HdHu, l addressed him.
 "One more step, MT. Hands," said I, "and I'll blow your brains out! Dead men don't bite, you know I added, with a chuckle.
 He stopped instantly. I could see by the workings of his face that he was trying to think, and the process was so slow and laborious that, in my new found security, I laughed aloud. At last, with q swallow or two, he spoke, his face still wearing the same express sion of extreme perpleXity. In order to speak he had to take the dagger from his mouth, but in all else he re- mained unmoved.
 "Jim," says he, "I reckon we're fouled, you and me, and we'll have to