Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1916-03-17

against flesh. Then there was the
crashing about of the entwined bodies
the labored breathing. the short, quick
gasps of sudden pain.
There must have been more men IN
the conspiracy to murder the captain
and mate, for by the sounds / knew
that Leach and Johnson had been
quickly REINFORCED by some of their
mates.
Get a knife, somebody" Leach
was shouting.
Pound him on the head! Mash
his brains out!" was Johnson's cry.
But after his first below, Wolf Lar
sen made no noise. He was fighting
grimly and silently for his life. He
was sore beset. Down at the very
first, he had been unable to gain MS
feet, and for all of his tremendous
strength / felt that there was no nope
for him.
The force with which they struggled
was wildly impressed on me; for
was knocked down by their surging
bodies and badly bruised. But IN the
confusion l managed to crawl into an
empty lower bunk out Of the way.
!"An hands! We've got him! We've
got him." could hear Leach crying.
"Who?" demanded those who had
been really asleep, and who had wax
ened to they knew not what.
Its the bloody mattel" was Leach's
crafty answer, strained from him In
smothered sort OF way.
This was greeted with whoops OF
/ 10y, and from then on Wolf Larsen had
seven strong men on top of him. Louis,
I believe, taking no part in 1t. The
i forecastle was like an angry hive OF
bees aroused by some marauder.
What no! below there!" l heard
Latimer shout down the scuttle, too
cautious to descend into the inferno
of passion he could hear raging be-
meath him in the darkness.
Won't somebody get a knife!'
Leach pleaded In the first interval OF
comparative silence.
The number of the assailants was q
cause of confusion. They blocked
their own efforts. while Wolf Larsen,
with but a single purpose. achieved
his. This was to fight his way across
the floor to the ladder. Though in total
darkness, l followed his progress by its
sound. No man less than a giant could
have done what he did, once he had
gained the foot of the ladder. Step by
step, by the might of his arms. the
whole pack of men striving to DRAG
him back and down. he drew his body
up from the floor till he stood erect
And then, step by step. hand and foot
he slowly struggled up the ladder.
The very last of all. saw. Fol
Latimer. having finally gone for Ian
tern, held 1t so that its light shons
down the scuttle. Wolf Larsen wal
nearly to the top, though could MOI
see him. All that was visible was thu
mass of men fastened upon him. i
squirmed about, like some huge many
legged spider. and swayed back ant
forth to the regular roll of the vessel
And still, step by step, with long in
tervals between. the mass ascended
Once it tottered, about to fall back
but the broken hold was regained ant
it still went up.
"Who is it," Latimer cried.
In the rays of the lantern I coul
/ see his perplexed face peering down
! Larsen" l heard a muffled voic
\ from within the mass.
Latimer reached down with his fire.
hand. saw a hand shoot up to clas
his. Latimer pulled. and the next col
] pie of steps we're made with rusl
Then Wolf Larsen's other han
reached up and clutched the edge {
u the scuttle. The mass swung clear {
the ladder. the men still clinging
=. their escaping foe. They began
= drop on. to be brushed on against tn
a sharp edge of the scuttle. to
. knocked on by tho legs which wei
!. now kicking powerfully. Leach wa
the last to 60. falling sheer back frol
the top of the scuttle and striking o
= head and shoulders upon his sprawlin
mates beneath. Wolf Larsen and til
lantern disappeared, and we were le
= in darkness.
ITO BE CONTINUEDl