The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1912-07-11

'""h tho hhNtuluIeT, ana ny virtue VI
his position competent and expert.
enced rcugh-andready fighter. In a
breath he had lowered his head and,
believing like bull. launched him.
self toward ORourke.
Tho lrishman met the onslaught
With a stinging uppercut; which. new.
crtheless, failed to discourage the
captain, who grappled and began to
belabor O'Rourke with short, stabbing
blows on the side of the head, at the
same time endeavorIng to trip him
The fury Of his onset all but carried
the freshman of his feet At the same
| Tine IT defeated Holes own purpose.
IORourke watched his chance. seized
The mans throat with both hands and,
tightening his grip, fairly lifted him
on his feet and shook him as ter
: ricr shakes a rat Then. with grunt
OF satisfaction. he threw the captain
from him and turned to face greater
odds
The noise Of the conflict had brought
the crew down upon the contestants.
surrounded, he was rushed to the rail.
with that to his back he drew on his
reserve of strength and. poising him.
self, began to give his assalants per.
sonal and individual attention They
pushed him close. snarling and ours
Ing. hindering one another in their
eagerness, and suffering variously for
their tcmerity, 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
hrst his knuckles were torn and
bledIng from their impact upon flesh
and bone
Fight ms fiercely 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 liEht-the rays Of nearby
lantern running down knife. blades
he conceded the moment imminent
when he must sever his connection
with the Pelican. Moreover he had a
shrewd suspicion that Hole was up
and only waiting for an opening to use
his revolver.
LeapinG to the rail, he poised an
instant, then Owed FIR out from the
vessels side. down into the Stygian
blackness OF the harbOr water: a good
clean dive. cutting the water with
hardly n splash. he went down like an
arrow, gradually swervlng from the
straight line Of his flight into a long
arc-so long, indeed, that he was
well.nigh breath!ess when he 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 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 had not de.
tected him by the phosphorescepce
and that no had held his hand from
firing, at first puzzled O'Rourke; but
he reasoned that Hole probably feared
to raise an alarm and thereby attract
much undesirable attention 40 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.
| Fortunately The Pelican rode al an.
Choir in waters studded thick with
other vessels. affordlng plenty OF hid.
ing places on night as black as that.
The adventurer made direct for the
first vessel, swan completely around
II, and by the time the Pelican's boat
was anoat and It's rowers bending TO
the oars, he Jas supporting himself by
a hand upon the unknown ships cable
floating on his ack with only his face
out OF water.
Under these conditions, Il was
small wonder that the boat missed him
so completely.
At length rested. t,y freshman re.
leased his hold and struck out for
land at an easy pace.
Eventually he gained the end OF n
quay, upon which he drew himself for
a last rest and TO let his dripping gar.
ments drain bit ere venturing abroad
in the streets.
Not until then, strangely enough,
did 1t come to him with It's full force
how he had been tricked and played
upon from the very beginning. And he
swore bitterly when he contemplated
his present position of penniless
outcast In city almost wholly strange
to him, without friends (save indeed,
Danny-wherever he might bel, with.
out n place to lay his head, lacking
even a change OF clothing. His kit.
box was aboard the Pelican and likely
to remain there. for all he could do
a.