Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-01-11
Copyright, 1898, by D. Appleton and

"Thank God," he said piously. II
began to think the brute had done for
you. Now pull yourself together as fast
as you can, for there's going to be seri'
GUS trouble"
Hooked round me as we'll as l could.
By my side lay the body Of the man,
with the cord still in his hand, and
from the way in which one a1m was
stretched out and the other doubled un-
der him I gathered that he was dead.
Amidships the crew of the junk were
assembled, listening to the excited ora
tory of the little pockmarked devil
against whom my companion had warn
ed me- He held in his hand revolver
mine, had no difficulty in guessing
and from the way in which he turned
and pointed in our direction / under
stood that he was explaining to the
others the necessity which existed for
exterminating us without delay.
Under the bulwarks and little to
the left of where sat was stout iron
bar some feet inches in length. Imam
aged to secure it, and having done so
felt little easier in my mind.
AS crawled back to my station an
other report greeted my ears, and at the
same instant bullet bedded itself in
the woodwork within an inch Of my
left temple.
"That's the introduction, said my
imperturbable friend, with grim
smile. care you ready? He's got the
only weapon among them and five more
cartridges left in it. Keep by me and
give no quarter, for, remember, If they
win they'll show you none"
BangI Another bullet whizzed past
my ear.
Bangl My companion gave a low
whistle and then turned to me.
"Grazed my forearm" he said calm
~, and then; raising his pistol, shot the
nearest Of our assailants dead. The man
gave a little cry, more like sob, and
with outspread arms fell on his face up.
ON the deck. The next roll of the vessel
carried him into the lee scuppers, where
for some time he washed idly to and
fro. Never in my life before had I seen
anything 80 coolly deliberate as the way
in which be was picked off. It was
more like rabbit shooting than anything
else.
"Two cartridges gone" said my
comrade.
As he spoke bullet tore up the deck
at my feet, while another grazed my
right shoulder.
-Four. Keep steady; he's only two
left. Look out then, for they'll rush us
to certainty. Iwish Icould get anoth'
er shot at them first. "
But this wish was not destined to be
gratified. The scoundrels had had sufti.
cient evidence Of his skill as marks
man and, being prudent though pre-
cious villains, they had no desire to re-
ceive further proof Of it. They therefore
kept in shelter.
Suddenly, without any warning. and
with greater majesty than l ever re-
member to have observed in him before
or since, the sun rose in the clUudless
sky. Instantly with his coming ligh:
and color shot across the waters, the
waves from being of dull leaden hue
became green and foam crested, and the
great fiber sails of the junk from fgur-
ing as blears Of double darkness, reach
ing up to the very clouds, took to them
selves again their ordinary common
place and forlorn appearance.
Our course lay due east and for this
reason the sun shone directly in our
faces, dazzling US, and for the moment
preventing our seeing anything that
might be occurring for'ard. l could
tell that this was matter of some con-
Germ to my companion, and certainly it
was not to remain very long matter OF
indifference to me.
The sun had been above the sky line
scarcely matter of two minutes when
another shot was fred from for ard,
and fell with cry to the deck. Next
moment had picked myself up again,
and, feeling very sick and giddy, scram-
bled to my companion S side. He was as
cool and apparently as unconcerned as
ever.
1.-THE other was the prologue-this is
going to be the play itself. Keep as
close to me as you can and, above all
things fight to the death-accept NO
quarter and give none. 1"
The words were hardly out Of his
mouth before we heard scam -ering OF
bare feet upon the deck and success
sion of sbrill yells, and then the vessel,
paying off o little on her course, showed
US the ruffians climbing OH to the raised
poop upon which we stood. To my hor-
ror-for, strangely enough, in that mo-
ment of intense excitement was capa'
BILE of a second emotion-I saw that they
were six in number, while q re-enforce-
ment numbering three more waited up
on the forcastls head to watch the turn
of events.
AS the head of the first man appeared
my companion raised his pistol and
pulled the trigger. The bullet struck
the poor wretch exactly on the bridge
of the nose, making clear round hole
from which an instant later a jet of
blood spurted forth A second bullet
carried another man to his account, and
by this time the remaining four were
upon US.
Of what followed in that turmoil |
have but very imperfect recollection
remember seeing three men rush to.
ward me, one of whom | knew fol
Kwong Fung, the little pockmarked
rascal before mentioned. and recollecr
that with the instinct of despair
clutched my bar of iron i'll both hands