The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1916-01-29

against flesh. Then there was tn"
crashing about Of the entwIned bodies.
the labor"d breathing. the short, quick
Easps OF sudden pain.
There must have been more men in
the conspiracy to murder the captain
that Leach and Johnson had been
. quickly REINFORCED by some of their
mates.
Get knife, somebody" Leach
was shouting.
Pound him on the head. Mash
his brains out" was JOhnsons 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 his
feet. and for all OF his tremendous
strength felt that there was no hope
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 | managed to crawl into an
empty lower bunk out Of the way.
All 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.
It's the bloody mate" was Leach 8
crafty answer. strained from him in
smothered sort of way.
This was greeted with whoOps of
Joy, and from then on Wolf Larsen had
seven strong men on top Of him. Louis,
| believe, taking no part in it. The
forecastle was like an angry hive of
bees aroused by some marauder.
What no, below there" | 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.
wont somebody get a knife?"
Leach pleaded in the first interval OF
comparative silence.
I' ilhlllb'l VI VIC dSNdlleliiAS 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, followed his progress by its
sound. No man less than a giant could
have done what he did, once he mad
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. For
Latimer having finally gone for a Ian
tern. held it so that its light shOpe
down the scuttle Wolf Larsen was
nearly to the top. though | could not
see him. All that was visible was the
mass of men fastened upon. him. Ii
squirmed about, like some huge many.
legged spider, and swayed back and
forth to the regular roll of the vessel.
And still. step by step. with long in.
tervals between. the mass assembled
Once it tottered, about to fall back,
but the broken hold was regained and
it still went up.
who is it," Latimer cried.
In the rays OF the lantern could
see his perpleXed face peering down
Larsen" | heard a mufIled voice
from within the mass.
Latimer reached down with his free
hand. | saw hand shoot up to CLASP
his. Latimer pulled. and the next cou.
pie of steps were made with a rush
Then Wolf Larsen's other hand
reached up and clutched the edge OF
the scuttle. The mass swung clear OF
the ladder, the men still clinging &c
their escaping foe. They began &c
drop off. to be brushed off against the
sharp edge of the scuttle, to be
knocked off by the legs which were
now kicking powerfully. Leach was
the last to go, falling sheer back from
the top OF the scuttle and striking on
head and shoulders upon his spraying
mates beneath. Wolf Larsen and the
lantern disappeared, and we were left
in darkness.
(TO BE CONTINUEDJ
Draw Power From Air.