The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1911-06-28

r%Htt'ft
with the sea than with the land.
Once was owner Of schooner that
/ used for pearl diving. ny divers be-
ing north African Bedouins.
Ny working ground was of the
coast OF Tripolitania. Pears diving
is hard life. and only those who are
desperate engage In it The boss i
Obliged fo be very severe with bis
workmen or they win take possession
OF him. his ship and everything in It.
had one man named Hamed. little
muscular African, black az the ace Of
spades. who undertook to master me.
There was trouble. after which ( had
him arrested and taken into the town
OF Trlpoli. and be received a full dose
Of bastinado.
1t was not long after this that one
night. the weather being very hot. |
preferred to sleep on deck. put
down a mattress. but was cooler IN
a chair All / bad on was a pair OF
/ thin pajamas and low shoes. lay a
few hours In sleep; awaking about
midnight. The men were asleep be-
low, and / was alone ON deck For
an hour / caught cat maps from time
to time, not losing myself for more
than ten minutes at once. At one OF
these intervals between sleep | saw a
rGard black bali on the gnnwale on
the port bow, being starboard amid
ships.
Now. to a half awake sailorman
black bah on the gunwale Of his ship
is a curious object wondered why
II didn't roll along the incline. In
stead Of doing so 1t rose. looking now
like the roand top Of a fencepost.
spreading out below BY this time
was sufficiently awake to realize that
the object was a black head and
shoulders. blacker for a full moon
that shone behind It.
From this point my faculties came to
me like lightning have often since
wondered that what for want Of bet
ter name | will call an automatic rea-
soniDg should have made me prepare
for that which hud not thought out
Had l taken the steps to lead up 10
that preparation they would have been
as follows THAT is Bedouin thief,
who viii XIII me to enable him 70 car
ry OF some triHe" In a twinkling my
pajamas were lying on the deck, |
standing naked In my shoes. ] knew
that the thief would not be tncum-
bered with clothing. and ] must not
give him this advantage over me.
knew that he had swum to the ship;
therefore it was not likely he would
have any firearms with him. The
struggle would be muscular
should have cried out and aroused
those below Strange to say, this did
not occur to me as quickly as the other
points. and when it did was toe late
A black naked figure jumped over the
gunwale and darted like lightning to-
ward me. When be reached me the
moonlight flashed on steel blade with
which be struck at me- | caught his
forearm with my fist: but. the arm be-
Ing oiled. 1t slipped through my clutch
to the shoulder. / saved myself from
being stabbed BY holding my enemy
on from me with my hand under his
Am at the shoulder The man. wrig-
CLING. was liable at any moment to
free himself With my other hand
grasped his throat. II. too. was oiled.
but clinched 1t long enough to make
the man drop bis knife.
AT this moment the rascars face was
to the moon. and recognized Hamef
He had not-come for plumber: he ha4
come for revenge. Ny life now de-
pended on my preventing bis getting
the knife. / placed myself between
him and it and. cIlnched with him. His
body was oiled all over, and be slipped
through my arms like an eel and made
lunge for the knife by darting be-
tween my legs. | caught an ankle
and held him extended to his full
length. his arms stretched and within
e ! few inches or the knife. He jerked
his ankle so that. oiled as 1t was. /
could not ccsnt on holding It long and
must do something else to tiawart his
purpose. with one hand made a
quick grasp for his shoulder. then with
the other let go his ankle and grasped
the other shoulder. falling on him at
the same time
Here were two Of US reaching for
the knife / slid over his oiled surface
and attempted to clutch the weapon.
but Just as was getting my fingers on
Il be seized my wrist and knocked Il
farther away.
had the advantage Of bin. holding
him between me and the deck. He
could not easily slide on the latter
having me OF, his back. but he was Sc
slippery thatyI found II difficult te
maintain my position on kim, Never
theless- be endeayored to wriggle to
ward the kAllfe He gained some inch
es and was about to grasp it when
knocked Il farther away
I now determined to risk all on on'
quick move Putting hand on eacl
of bis shoulders for leverage. ! gave
tremendous pull. shooting my heas