Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962, 1915-03-26

where Peters could reach down and
grasI her hand. and then followed as
quickly as possible Henley had swung
down 90 the deck and stood there. his
men grouped gbout hiH. the revolver
still ia his hand 0ne glance az his
face told me be WIS insane from rage.
thinking ouly Of revense.
Take the woman below" he snap
ped. his cruel teeth cleaning. ~Shen
get her lesson. Here. Louis. don't you
hear mes Ioek har IL. and bring me
the key. III handle this sniyeling thief
first So yea conduit RIM n boat. hey.
Not 50 easy as it looked was it. you
dog: Thought we'd be gone this morn
ing. didn't youy You'll find I'm not
quite as easy as all that. Now you'll
take your medicine"
l still stood mOiioniess, my back to
the rail- letting him rave. but watch
ing every movement remember the
faces about me. fierce, Sowing faces.
Of men wild to hay hold upon me at
the first word of command. What
did Henley mean TO do. Kill me or
give me over into tie hands of those
merciless devils? All could read in
his eyes was hatred. exultation. con
seriousness of power.
Hard LUX. Craig-heyr he began
tauntingly. played with the wrong
man. didn't you. Now I've got the
girl just IS | want her. and as for
you-Lord! but I'll keep you to play
with all the way 20 Honduras. 1t will
be pleasant voyage. my friend. Here.
Masters, you and Peters stand by.
Now, you robber. give me those pa
pers.
l handed them out. watching closely.
Petsrs stood at my right, one hand
on my arm; the other fellow must
have been behind me. Henley grasp
ed the envelope. opening the flap to
u sure of its contents. The move
nAe mt caused him to lower the revolver
and avert his gaze for just an in
slant. With one motionl flung Peters
aside and jammed clinched fist into
the captains face.
Masters must have struck me at al
most the same instant my fist landed
on Henley. for we went down to-
gether. his revolver discharging. the
dying bullet gouging my left Shout
der. burning the flesh like redhot
wire Yet | grappled him even as
we crashed to the deck, but the fell
low lay stunned. motionless as dead
man. Everything happened quicker
than | can tell it; with such rapidity.
indeed, that not hand touched me.
| could barely struggle up on one
knee. daZed still by the stroke which
had foored nae, and glance about,
when the bluejackets came tumbling
over the rail and leaped at the as
founded crew of the Sea Gull. 1t was
Il swift, short fight, the assailants hav-
ing every advantage. | saw the lieu
tenant. bare handed, dash into the
group, striking out left and right his
men at his heels. There was yolley
of oaths, thnd of falling bodies. a
sharp command and the shr.ll pipe of
boatswain's whistle. Two men
rushed forward the first disappearing
behind the chart house. The second en-
countered Broussard stepping off tie
bridge ladder and hurled the fellow to
the deck with one blow of sledge
hammer fist Scarcely pausing to see
whether he was alive or not. the as
sailant ran on toward the forecastle
The whole affair was over in two
minutes, the blueiackets circling out
like a fan and pressing their enemy
into a helpless mass against the rail.
For a moment the fight was furious,
every man for himself; then the lieu
tenant drove like wedge into the
bunch, and it was all over.
ION to the bridge there, Coates, and
hold up her head" sang ont the officer
"Boatswain, take charge of these beau
ties and ran them into the foreeastle.
Leave two men ON guard and take a
squint into the engine ROOM Report
to me here
He glanced toward me. Say what
is the matter with you-shot? You're
white as a sheet of paper, man"
Il got one on the head with Delay
ing pin from the heft of it. The bullet
touched me-here. Lord, how it
burnsl"
"Who did the shootingT'
Henley here" And l touched the
fellow with my foot. HE fired just
as hit him."
80 that's the man. he exclaimed.
We've done good days work"
Henley stirred as he spoke and open
ed his eyes. staring up into my face