The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1910-07-14
CHAPTER xvl-continued.

There were four of the crew, be-
o,aes the captain, all armed with rifles
N which bayonets had been affixed by
the generals order. Add to these
smulders, the general himself, Hardy
and three Bouriats, and the defending
marty consisted of II members. Brave
stenka Pugacheff of the crew had
gone down the river for help, and the
\ attack had been delivered so sudden
" that there was no time to call Ro-
manoff. who was sleeping below. In
deed, it is doubtful If, at that moment
of extreme excitement, anybody
thought of him.
The Chinese were receiving a muir
derous and unlooked-for reception, but
they were not to be easily beaten off.
Several of them gained the deck and
hogan to swing their clumsy, two
handed swords. and the clash of steel
on steel rang out amid savage grunts,
snarls and cries of rage. The Cossack
crew and the Bouriats fought like dew
lis leaping aud darting about with the
4 agility Of wildcats and handling their
more modern weapons with murder
Gus dexterity and skill.
A man never knows what sort of
man he is still supreme trial comes
TO him The American found himself
cool. His faculties were all at
state of EXTREMIST tension. with the
result that he could see and hear bet.
ter, think faster and decide more
quickly than in ordinary moments.
4 He took his revolver from his pocket
and ran lightly toward ManchUrian
| who was just throwing one leg over
the rail He fred at the head of the
man, who fell back into the water With
| loud splash, dropping his sword on
| the deck. Another leaned over the
! rail almost at his side, and, swinging
4 his great steel blade high in the air,
chopped at Hardv's head The latter
threw up his rife aud received the
blow on the barre The impact
brought him to hi Knees, but, as he
\ sank, he shot his assailant beneath
the chin, killing him instantly.
At this moment a blazing arrow
\ passed over him aud stuck in one of
the cotton-stuffed pillows that had been
used as a barricade. Hardy snatched
the pillow, threw it overheard and
ran to the downstream side OF the
boat The attack of the boarders had
not lasted in all over four or five
minutes, and yet in that time several
OF the wading party had approached
4 rOusi1pra h1tt
sufficient light for him to see the
sights of his rifle now and the dark
form Of the Chinese made conspicuous
marks in the cleaning water. This
was not over two or three inches deep
on the sand in which the PROV of the
boat wa6 imbedded. and two of the
Chinese We're running close in. Hardy
Killed them both with his rifle and
then began to shot deliberately at
lhose who were farther away with
such effect that he put the entire
party to flight ere the ten remaining
shot5 in his weapon were exhausted.
lie turned 10 re-enter the melee Just
IN time to see Boris Romanoff burst
raging on deck. wrench two-handed
sword rom the fingers OF a dead Chm
Hese and ply it with as much ease and
sHIll as though it were lightest OF
iapiers The attackers were gaining
Ground, Enough Of them had come
over the side to defend portion OF
Tue rail-, over which others were rapid
4 Serambling, while several Of their
humber We're keeping the defending
II party so busy that they could not use
,er guns to shoot them down which,
nuFed they would not have been
Il "@ey 10 DO in any case, as Cossacks
aau bouriats are primitive fighters
VINO 90 not think of shooting when
Oiought to close quarters Boris Ro-
.uahoH charged with such deadly skill
'lat the boarders leaped over the
que back into the water leaving two
II their number dead. The other
Hlgands followed their comrades,
r'W the exception of one, who was
sayoneted in the back just as he
.uuiped; the rifle barrel, striking the
'a''' made a fulcrum of it, so that the
81 Eapon was wrenched from the own
efs hands.
~ u anu now a thing happened that maze
paluy glad that he had not taken
OTIS RomanoH's hand one OF the
4'uese was not dead, but had been
uuned by blow on the head with
WE tie sat IN and looked about