Los Angeles herald., 1907-10-06
CONTINUED FROM PAGE TWO

fastened to put himselfsin view of the advanc
ing company.
He must have been surprised, and perhap'
puzzled, at what he saw, but he was promp'
to act.
They saw him snatch up a handspike ant
begin to pound heavily upon the deck in'
racket would arouse every sleeping marine
below and bring him on deck in less than
minute. :,
Mcpherson opened his lips to speak. Lofty
anticipated him. go
"We're discovered he exclaimed. ror
wards double tirne!'' a..
Instantly all semblance of order IN thu
mutineers' ranks vanished.
Trailing their pixies, they rushed forwarrt
on the Ventures deck before the watchmar
could be REINFORCED by his associates
As they started to run, the, Waterman
raised a shout. He also dropped the hand
spike, and with drawn cutlass stood at sh'
rail to repel the invaders single-handed
BY this time he could see that. the attack
ing party wore the uniform OF the academy
and it may be that he recognized some o.
them At any rate, his attitude showed clearly
that he understood enough Of the mutlneers
intentions to make his own duty plaln-
The expression of his face, which became
clearly visible when the mutineers came within
striking dist,nce warned him that ne Wouio
WELD his cutlass with small regard tor the
damage it might inhict
Unfortunately for the watchman, the Yen,
ture sat so low in the water, and the wharf
was so high that, even standing, on the DECK,
he was not out of reach of the mutIneers
pixies The low rail of the Venture afforded
him little protection, and WELD his weapon as
he might, he could not ward off all the thrusts
that we've aimed at him from the wharf.
Having received half dozen vicious prods
from the sharp points of the mutlneers weap,
ons he was driven back. His clothing had
been torn in several places, and one jealous
Inutineer had slashed his cheeK VIII "el-
directed thrust
Under cover of this valiant assault. as the
watchman fell back, Lofty and two others
gained the deck.
The watchman had not for an instant ceased
to shout, and a movement heard DeioW ap-
prised the assailants and the defender alike
that help for the latter was at hand
Before the mutineers could scramble. over
the rail in sufficient numbers to prevent IT,
running aft to' join their associate They
were only half dressed, but they all carried
cutlasses.
The glimmer of the naked steel caused the
boarding party to hesitate and glance ANXIOUS
ly at their leader.
Lofty realized that the supreme moment
was at hand. In permitting the marines rom S 9
below to gain the deck, he had quadrupled
the magnitude of his undertaking.
A pitched battle, had been no part OF ms ms
defenders must be driven below, no matter II
somebody did get hurt. And it must be done
promptly, for they could all hear the two
stokers moving about below decks, and there
20 telling Tssszaos wha they e HsuG ns tdon da he
''Forward-chargel" he shouted.
Whatever might be said in detraction OF
the chief of the mutineers-and that would
be much-he showed himself not lacking In
courage.
bayonetsn Lofty bounded toward the officer
in command of the boats defenders, and dealt
him thrust that made him stagger. Before
the mutineer could withdraw his weapon Tor
boatswaisls cutlass Topped it short off in his
His followers did no better execution. and
half of them found themselves practically
disarmed after this first assault; Not halt OF
them could bring their unwieldy weapons to
bear at once, and, foreseeng the result. they
Not word was spoken on either side.
Mechanically the school boats defenders re-
paired their line. which had been broken Tor
an instant, while the first rank of assailants,
with their abbreviated weapons, fell back,
and their associates stepped into their places.
s'They'll meet with the same reception, and
in another moment we'll all be- dlsarmed,
was The Thought that flashed through Lofty s
mind. ''Then the other fellows will attack
and drive us over the rail.
{ IT. was lust as the second assault was be-
v,,n that sound was heard that caused both
nnarties of beIligerents to pause where they
stood and, with weapons upraised, to stand
as if transixed
Hurried footsteps were heard in the street.
Tn rushing forward to the attack, the mutt
,aers no had put the end of the fence and one of
the the coal chutes between them and view of
III r was impossible TO see who was coming,
b,,t It was clear to all the listeners, from the