The San Francisco call., 1905-02-26


ali that crowd in time to reach the big
fellow before he woke; still II l failed
there was still a chance to put up
bit of fight, and although 1t would
BE- an uphill game it was a sight bet
ter than being butchered in cold blood.
If I did miscue. at any rate, I could
pes out with my dander up.
Softly dropping the oars, half
turned on the thwart and, reaching be-
hind me, fumbled gently at the waist
of the sleeping man. My fingers found
the hilt of the knife by instinct, and
with an easy tug 1T slipped from the
sheath, and quick as a flash / twisted
back. showed it under my thigh and
swung forward on the sweeps again.
but my touch had reused him, and with
a sleepy grunt he dug his knuckles into
his eyes and yawned with a creak like
rusty gate. The others stirred bit
and the helmsman woke with another
start.
Then my heart stood still. for the
Scandinavian suddenly Strengthened
himself. shaded his eyes with his hand.
and took a long look astern- The man
in the stern, curious from the intent
ness of his gaze, twisted around and
looked over his shoulder.
My time had come. With yell I
sprang suddenly to my feet, and.
swinging with all my strength, landed
my fist on the side of the Scandina-
VANS jaw. knocking him clean across
the gunnel. The sudden list OF the boat
threw the others to the same side. and
before they could right themselves I
leaped square on to the gunnel and
clung there. while the green water
came pouring into the boat. The next
moment we were all struggling In ths
sea.
OF course I was the only one expect
ing 1t, and, besides, the others were
sort OF loggy and thick with sleep.
Quick as a cat, when I found myself
in the water. gripped the stem OF the
boat and swung myself up across her
Once astride the keel, reached down,
grabbed up one of the long oars. and,
swinging it slantwise. brought 1t down
on the ugly head of the thug that tried
to shoot me, who was struggling along
side. He gasped once, then sank. and
sat and watched the bubbles coming up
and waited for him to rise again and
give me chance for another crack
All at once. most likely from the sud-
den reaction that came Of knowing that
the trumps were in my hands. all Of the
fight oozed out of me. 1t would have
dead easy for me to have finished or
the others one by one. and they knew
1t. and there was something sort OF
pitiful in the scared faces that they
turned up at me- A little way on from
the boat the old squarehead was SWIM
ming for all he was worth. his shoul-
ders bumped up like box turtle. He
was a poor swimmer, and his strokes
were getting shorter and quicker and
his breath came like a grampus when
he breaks
Grab the side If you want" yelled;
I'll not harm ye; but as you love your
life don't try to climb up"
I doubted that he'd ever reach the
boat. but he made it and clung there,
eyil.g me like bear in a trap. Then
we waited in silence.
Soon the edge Of the breeze struck
me, and behind 1t came the schooner,
tripping along like a girl going to mar
ket- Straight down they came, and
soon l knew that We were sighted from
her decks. for she shifted her course a
bit and bore down directly at US.
When close aboard she luffed into the
wind, and in minute over went
surfboat and came bouncing along the
rising sea- Then. as she drew near,
knew that 1 was safe, for in the stern
sat O'Connell. whom / had met in Ma
Mia not long before we started for the
islands.
An hour later, in the cabin Of the
schooner, told the whole story over
stiff glass Of grog. Although Captain
McCree was a good sort enough, I
could not persuade him to go back for
Boles and the others. as the weather
had charged, the glass was falling and
it was at the breaking up of the mon
soon- So I did not press it, knowing
that my mates We're we'll found in grub,
and that ! could soon get them taken
off,
The schooner was bound for Pulo
Anna. and when we reached there T
left her and not long after sailed by
another vessel for zap. On the way we
touched at the island. but the others
had onro