The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-01-01
SNAKES MARK.
An Account of the Finding of
,he Lost Treasure Of the HALLOWEEN
Family
BY u. Y. BLACK.
Copyright, 1898
CHAPTER ".

O1A1 En- 1 v
ortoI and Dixey Lynch Come TO
Blows.
pefore the waves closed over his head.
and that they did so quickly that he had
-, time 90 cry out, the Boston lad recOg-
riz.d in a flash what had happened. For
This the thinking sailor had sent him
forward 10 so periious a place in the boat.
and Lynch had taken off the bow. II was
simpler way and one more easily ex-
n3,ned thus to get rid of the unwelcome
nrssen2e. than shooting him on deck could
fe So swiftly do thought pass that Oziel
dJsined the scheme as he fell. Then the
sudden plunge into the fOaming sea BAN
shed all other IDEAS than that of saving
himself The sloop dashed past him. As
Ne rose he had a fleeing glimpse or
lynch peering over the side with a wide
grin and Noll Dade beside him with open
mouth like one for whose benefit sur
rrising piece Of comedy had been per-
formed. The next instant Oziel was aware
chat he was clutching with mechanically
desperate grip the end of the rope he had
been sent TO coil. He was awakened to a
complete sense of where he was by jerk
which nearly dragged the rope from his
hands, and. as he sDluttered and choked,
he found he was being drawn swiftly along
bv the side of The vessel, half-drowned
with now a wave breaking over him, and
now half of his body hauled clear of the
surface. The rope was fast TO the deck,
and he was not yet adrift. As he realized
this he made a furious effort to drag him.
self hand over hand nearer the sloop His
great strength, and an agility for which
he had to thank his constant woodland
rambling, enabled him TO haul himself a
fed feet nearer, and he got close enough
to The boat 20 be thrown violently against
her umbers. He had fallen on the lee
side, and the sioop rushed low there
through the waves. Once twice he was
dragged within touch and then, half
drowned, he grasped at the slippery, glist-
eHing rail, and caught it. For a second
he paused to draw breath, and then. vio-
lently, with all his might, drew himself
up by the wrists, by the arms, aud at
length, with wrench of all his great mus
cles, he tore himself free of the sea and
rolled on deck. Lynch was again at the
helm. his pipe aglow, and NoH Dade
chuckled by his elbow, growing gleefullv
at the excellent joke. In the dark they
had seen their victim glide by, but had
never noticed the saving rope, and so had
gone BACK, at once to the mastertless helm
satisfied
ute; seconds glance had sufficed to COM
fort Dixey Lynch with the reflection that
ne had gone forever. The plunge, however
mad not been sufficient 10 cool the rage
which stormed in baskets heart as he felt
himself fall and instantly realizing the
attempt made on him. When he dragged
himself aboard again the seamen's backs
were turned TO him and they were busy
strengthening the sloop in the course, from
nf.ah for
ct to Veer. Neither Lynch nor Noll Dade
saw his temperance. and they were alone
on deck, the others of The scanty crew be-
ing below asleep Oziel paused but to gain
ms footing, and at once, with fury, threw
mmSef upon the master of the Golden
Wish. His teeth were clenched and he
wasted no breath on words. sought no ex.
panations. He bounced on Lynch with
the bound of a hound lei loose and bore
MN so that the two rolled on the in
clined planks and into the seas that wash
ed the rail. The assault was so sudden
and so noiseless, the grip on his throat so
vigorous that DXey had no time to yell
nor chance TO defend himself Noil Dade
httle man, remained at the wheel press
ing 1t with his legs to starboard, as had
been Lynch's last Instructions his mouth
open in his gray beard, his weak eyes wide
with amazement, paralyzed by the sudden
apparauon rising from the waves of the
hght-blackened sea. The man offered
thus no resistance to his chief. and Lynch
was left to fight it out alone with the en-
ragged Ozel
In the matter of weight the New Eng
lander had trihe the best of it, as in
mere strength but in quickness, in why
touShness, and, more serviceable even
taan these, in the training whose first and
last lesson is to keep your wits and your
temper, Lynch was far his superior.
Doubtless the mariner who had sailed
strange seas in strange company found
himself at no great disadvantage for the
uneXpectedness of the encounter. AZ
least, when once down. he spent no wind
nor wearied himself in a wrestle with pre-
ponderant weight, but drew himself to-
Eether and waited an opportunity with
marvellous GOODNESS and self-possession.
You black-hearted, treacherous muir
derer,' Oziel painted, rolling on top of the
skipper and holding him down by the
throat. You did that purposey. and
twas the second time you tried my life.
what have l done to you that you would
murder me?"
DiXey Lynch, on his back, his tongue
Poruding by reason of so terse a grip,
sun found in his power of stimulation to
express with his eyes profound and panied
surprise, and instead of using his hands
10 heave off his assailant threw them up,
palms outward in as fair deprecatory
appeal as his position would allow. 1t was
undoubtedly Oziel's first intent, when he
Jumped on the mariner in blind but just
rage, to kill him out of hand, and his
strong fingers now could have choked the
He from Lynch with little more effort.
but the lad was very new to such brOils.
ana had church bred boys
horror of blood let out in
passion Yet. If Lynch had
fought, so feeding his antagonists rage
ihe matter might have ended then and
,,aere' and saved a vast deal more turmoil
EFen though mis- blood boiled, however,
VzieL for shame's sake, could not kiln a
man who lay passive to the attack. His
uisers loosered, and he paused. and in
,Hal pause the withered little atom at the
us 'm Of a sudden recovered his wandering
WIS ana uttered howl like a maniac. He
ie-l the tiiler and flashed from his beit a
,9H7 and ugly knife, and with that rushed
'A' a wildcat to the aid of his chief The
ua'N Of Oziel was TO the new conner in
,Ht ARRAY and for it, the broad shoulders
mesenting sure mark to strike on. Mol
que aimed, and baskets form was for a
2"d IN instant peril Of being unown-