Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1911-12-26

qiires the. use of the twister's two
hands. and stoutly as he defended his
opinion, the first officer was by mo
means ready to put up his revolver.
He. adEanced,.t and bent over the
Irishman. who lay motioniess, his up
per lip rolled back TO show his
clenched. teeth: "Heugh!" exclaimed
the flsst. officer, peering into his face,
his tone. expressive of the. liveliest
concern. Without further hesitation
he. dropped the revolver into his pocket
and-received tremendous short-arm
blow In the face. !!
With stifed cry he fell back,
clutching at broken nose. and
sprawled at length; while O'Rourke,
leaping to his feet. deliberately put
a heel into the pit Of Dennlson's stom.
ecb, thereby effectually eliminating
him as factor In the further contro
versy. simultaneously he advanced
upon Captain Hole.
But IN the latter he encountered no
mean antagonist. The man--it has
beer said-was as tall as and heavier
than the adrenturer, and by virtue OF
his position competent and expert
enced rough-andready fighter. In a
breath he had lowered his head and
believing like a bull. launched him
self toward O'Rourke.
The Jrishman met the onslaught
with singing ,lppercut; which. new
erthcless, failed 10 discourage the
captain. VINO grapped and began to
belahor 0'Rourke with short. stabbing
Dl3ws On the side of the head, at the
ssrla tine endeavoring TO trip him
This i"ry q his onset all but carried
the isl nan off his feet. At the same
tila: L Dictated Holes own purpose
GPc:...Ics Watched his chance, seized
tie Ial.-2. hzoat with both hands and
tignt II ng ois grip. fairly lifted him
cIv ~ 'nt, ard shook bin as ter
rier shakes rat. Then. With :. 9rc--rc
OF satisfaction, he threw the car4E.a
from him and turned tc face g-essss
odds.
The noise of the conflict had brclgnt
the crew down upon the contestants.
Surrounded he was rushed to The rs;il.
With that TO his back he drew on his
reserve OF strength and. posing him
SELF began to give his assalants per
sona and individual attention. They
pushed him close. snarling and ours
ing. hindering one another in their
eagerness. and suffering variously for
their temerity. O'Rourke fought with
trained precision: his blows. lightning
quick. were direct from the shoulder
and very finely placed; and so straight
did he strike that almost from the
first his knuckles were torn and
bleding from their impact upon flesh
and bone
Fight as iercely as he might, how.
ever, the pack was too heavy for him;
and when presently he discerned. not
In one but In half dozen hands,
CLEANS Of light--the rays OF near-b!
lantern running down knife-blades-~
he conceded the moment imminent
when he must sever his connection
with the Pelican. Moreover ne had q
shreHd suspicion that Hole was up
and only waiting for an opening 10 use
his revolver.
Leapng TO the rail, he poised an
instant, then diyed far out from the
vessels side. down into the Stygian
blackness of the harbor water; good
clean dive. cutting the water With
hardly splash, he went down like an
arrow. gradually swervine from the
straight line Of his fight into long
arc-so long. indeed. that he was
well.nigh breathless when ne came to
the surface. dozen yards or more
from the Pelican.
Splitting out the foul harbor water.
and with a swift glance over his Shout
der that showed him the Pelican's
dark freeboard like a wall, and a.
cluster OF dark shapes hanging over
the rail at the top vaguely revealed
by lantern light. he struck out for the
nearest vessel employing the double
overland stroke. noisy but speedy.
That he heard no cry when he came
to the surface that Hole mad not de-
tected him By the phosphorescence,
and that he had held his hand from
firing, al first puzzled O'Rourke; but
he reasoned that Hole probably feared
to raise an alarm and thereby attract
much undesirable attention TO himself
and his ship. In the course of the first
few strokes, however, he managed to
peep again over his shoulder, and from
the activity on the Pelican's decks
concluded that he was to be pursued
by boat; which. in fact, proved to be
the case.
Fortuna tely the Pelican rode at an
chor in waters studded thick with
other vessels, affordiug plenty of hid
ing places on a night as black as that.
The adventurer made direct for the
first vessel. swan completely around
it, and by the time the Pelican's boat
was afoat and its rowers bending TO
the oars. he was supporting himself By
a hand upon the unknown ships cable,
y 1, -,1. y; fa1