Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1904-08-30
CHAPTER VI

At the first word the men stopped to
their pieces; at the second they cooked
and made ready; at the third they start
ed US ard took aim, and then fired. The
whole was performed in a very few sec
onds. and from the howl which arose
from the corvette's deck it was evident
that much execution had been done.
"Pistols. your pistolsr' shouted La
room. stand by to board. Grapplings
therel Now for it!' he shouted.
But these orders were not to be fully
carried out, for no sooner had the YES
sells come near touching than the enemy
threw their grapplings and prepared to
heard. They were frantic with rage at
the cruel deception which the pirate had
practiced, and they seemed prepared to
face a foe ten times their own number
But they had no ordinary foe to deal
with now In a moment after the Crap
pings were thrown. the ships nettings
were crowded with men.
ship again came kissing from the
CO ptaih's lips. At the sound of that
well-known signal, the pirates were calm
in ar instant.
pistols! Be sure of your aim! Fire"
Seyenty-two pistols were Disc urged
on kHt luSlunlt anu llOlG lndu a SNOiV VI
dead men came tumbling in on the brlg's
deck. besides others who fell overheard,
and some who fell back upon their Gwn
deck. Now. however. the foe began to
pour upon the briggs deck, and they r.
tied away with their pistols as they did
81; but, strange as it may appeeI, t'ey
did but little damage, for they were so
OK citeo tnat they paid no attention to
their aim, while in the meantime the pi-
rates were laying about with their long
keen. heavy cutlasses.
All this while Ben Marion had been
II e, frantic, and when he heard
report of the firearms, and also the
voices of the enemy, his frenzy knew
no bounds At length he heard the rush
ing of feet, and the clashing of steel,
and he knew that the enemy were upon
his deck. With one mighty effort he
leaped from his cot and pushing Paul
aside he rushed for the ladder. 1t was
the strength Of a maniac which served
him now, and before the youth could
reach him he had gained the deck. Paul
had the presence of mind to seize his
cutlass before he followed his patient
and then he sprang up the ladder. When
he reached the deck he found Ben just
throwing a Russian officer over the taft
rail, which feat he accomplished as
though the man had been an infant. In
a moment more the officer was IN the
water. but three stout men had seen the
movement, and simultaneously they
sprang upon the old gunner with their
eutlasses. Paul felled the first with one
blow of his weapon. Ben sprang upon
the second and wrenched his cutlass
from him. while the third engaged Parl
hand. to hand. He was a powerful fell
low and an adept at the sword exercise.
as he proved himself by the first few
passes he made. Ben Marion LAID his
antagonist low in an instant, but he
could do no more. The strange flame
which had started so suddenly and so
powerfully 10 life in his soul now went
out. and with a heavy groan he sank
down upon the body of the man he lad
killed.
Most of the fighting was going on
amidships and forward. the only combat
ants at that moment abaft the main
mast being Paul and his antagonist.
| From the manner in which the Russian
came TO this contest he evidently expect
e.. an easy conquest. but he was doomed
! to End himself greatly mistaken; for the
/ youth was not only quick. cool and pow
cIful. but he was thoroughly versed in
every part OF the sword play. He was
/, surely getting the advantage. and in a
/ few moments more would have sellsd
4 his adversary had not some new men
come upon the scene. Two of the cor
vefte's men. as they saw their shipnlate
likely to get the worst of ii, leaped upon
| the briggs quarter rail and thence 10 the
deck. landing close upon the swordsmen.
with their cutlasses drawn. Paul saw
the movement. and with quick motion
he started back against the tsffrail. but
/ he must quickly have been dispatched
beneath the combined efforts OF three
stout men had not a new actor appeared
,,ron the field The youth was in the
/ act of warding of a blow when some
thing flashed above his head. and on the
next moment one OF the men before him
| fell with his skull cleft in twain. and
before a movement could be made to-
ward the newcomer second had fallen.
Then II was that Paul looked up. and
found Buffo Burlington by his side
"Iav him down." said the stout
strange man. pointing TO the remaining
Russian as he spoke. de IS me one
who first gave yon battle
The youth dropped the point OF ais
cutlass from exhaustion. for he had per
formed almost a Herculean task in keep
ing the old gunner below as long as ne
did: but no sooner die the point Of his
weapon fall than his enemy sprang upon
him, but he had been watched. and just