Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1902-11-13

to the water by Arnold's house and
found our boat and boatsmen so hid
beneath the bank that 1t was no easy
matter to find them, though we know
we'll they must be there.
Curtis. as seemed always natural
took the command, and in a few mo-
ments we had loosened the boards and
were UP through the garden TO the
house and to the window. 1t stood open,
and Curtis was half way in when he
leaned back and stood looking at our
man, who had entered the household as
a military servant to do the work there
for us.
What is it. man." asked in a wins
per.
"Gone!" said he.
Gomez" we cried together.
Aye! l have been searching for ye
ali the night, bit could not find We any
where. We We're not at Your place In
MIS-. Hodges. We were nowhere in the
streets. l could not fine We at all.
But speak up, my man., said Curtis.
What mean you?'
He's ordered to command on the
Long Island shore and gone there"
'When?"
Late this afternoon. just at dark"
laughed for the very absurdity and
wretchedness of it, II was the last
straw and our whole work and mission
was gone! The others stood inactive on
the news of it, and just then came one
OF the crew running up from the boat.
Quick, lieutenant he cried, under
his breath, to me. "Quick, they're on
u.s. And we distinctly heard cry
down by the shore:
There they are! Pull, mon, pull!'
was down the garden path in an In
slant, Acton close on to me, Curtis
following, leisurely And as we came to
the shore and leaped into the boat there
came another large barge with half a
dozen or mayhap eight men pulling
towards u.s. Standing in the bow was
man hailirg us in the voice of Hazel
tine, for l call him by that name still,
as SO l knew him.
who are you here at this time a.
night?"
Frank" said Curtis, before could
speak, Frank, take yourself and your
men away, as you love your life!" And
his voice rasped out the words, as If
they would cut the night air.
"Oho! cousin, l have you all three.
cried he. Row on, men, hard! Into
them! Into them!'
The next moment they struck us, and
after a pistol shot or two that hit no
one fierce hand-to-hand fight began
across the gunwales of the two boats.
Ihey We're two more than We but With
the exception of HaZeltine himself the
others We're sailors. We were, there
fore. the better swords, and there in the
darkness the miX-up was complete at
nrst and no one uttered word or cry,
till down in the stern of the now locked
boats came groan, and one of our pur-
suers sank into his seat
Acton was furthest aft. Curtis next
and In the bow, SO that HaZeltine and
came together
You cur, you!" cried the man. II
have you at last!' and he made thrust
at me with such force that, parry it as
did, the defense alone was like to have
Knocked me overheard ON the other
side. 1 returned the thrust, and we
fought there without science or at
tempt to skill, but as boys would fight
Win DroomstlckS, crazy with anger. So
close We're we together that there was
no room to move and thrust, and on
the instant as he parted blow of mine
y felt my point enter something soft
and, hearing a groan near by, / pulled
the rapier back and saw the next man.
fall. Hazeltine had saved hi and
killed the man next him T. ~
the stroke.
AT that he began TO cu.
clumsy lout, using a good nss.sls. and
In between his cries | could hear Acton
talking to his opponents:
SO! another gone below" cried that
indomitable spirit, as he turned TO the
next. "Ah. one of ours!9' as fierce
scream and the Earring of cur boat told
Inc one of our men was gone
Curtis said not a word, but, his man
having fallen by my chance stroke, he
turned quietly to the next. None of
this could L see, Dat ! knew as if by
d1vination without the use of eyes for
my game was near up more than once.
q ut r,.-,
than he would for his cause. He hated
me, and hammered at me in frenzy,
crying out that l was a coward, and
traitor, and spy, and what not, yell
ing, There! there." each time he struck
at me.
So the cries and the noise of the fight
ragged OF close by the shore till some one
railing in our boat tipped it sideways,
and two barges slipped a foot or more
apart. And that foul fend, seeing us
likely to move off, gave savage growl
that. should not escape him, and.
leapinS on the gunWale of his boat,
made desperate thrust al me-
l saw it coming, and knew I would
reach its mark Aye, it did So and
scraped along the ribs of my right side
as if some one had glipped me with the
clamps of red hot iron. l lost my grip
on the sword and it fell into the water
just as the other boat, weighted by
Hazeltine's body on the gunwale, turned
over and tipped the whole crew, the
dead, the dying, and the living into the
shallow water.
The pain l felt, the despair that was
in me long before / came to this en-
counter set me doubly against this man
who had been the cause of it, and i
leaped down into the water and Crap
pied with him there as he stood up. No
words were necessary now. We knew
that, whatever the others might do
this was he end, and neither would let
go his hold until one OF us was dead.
He was q powerful man. and though
/ had him by the throat he caught me
by the waist, ana, putting his foot be-
mind me, tripped me up and we fell un-
der the water between the upright and
empty boats-he on top, / underneath.
And there in this two-foot depth of wa
ter we struggled and kicked and Crap
pied with one another for all eternity
Lying on my back under the water
there came humping in my ears and
my veins began To swell. / had no
thought nor fear of DEATH nothing went
into my mind but sense that / must
not open my mouth, and then, with a
wrench and a struggle that knew must
be the last, l caught him under one arm
and over his neck. II is an old wrestlers
hold, and with the strength OF all my
body and all the good year. of health
and tfaining, | bent his head down and
his shoulders up till he weakened his
hold on ne To save his neck.
Then in an instant over he rolled un-
der tie water, struggling, kicking
gurglng, and Ii opened my lips and
took ir prodigious gust o! air, and
then closed my fingers ON his throat and
put one knee on his chest, digging the
other foot into the mud between his
legs.
l cannot think of 1t sven now, long
1uif II