The Monmouth inquirer., 1918-06-13

nv duty to attach those ropes to the
struggling anatomy of Captain Bel
grag. and Blake taught me the proper
knots and bitches. He was to intimi-
date the Igerian with his revolver or
nv living on top of his form, which
ever seemed the most intimidating at
the time. 1t all looked perfect at elev-
en-thirty.
At eleven-thirty five, approximately,
there was a rap at our outer door-a
familiar rap to me-and / opened it
to hear Kodanis "Ver' gracious COM
pliments of mos honorable captain"
| did not give him time to finish.
| hooked an arm around his neck,
pressed a thumb against his aorta or
thorax or whatever it is that supplies
Japs with air, and jerked him inside
before he could say Jack Robinson"
or jiu-jitsu.
"Tie him while hold the spying
skunk!" l cried, and Blake used one
of my cords on him. Nov come on!"
| called "Reedley, Cliftonl To the
captains cabin" and l led the rush
aft.
Belgrag was expecting us, but not
SO impetuously. There were three
men in the cabin with him besides the
mate. | knocked one sailor down with
harsh blow of the marline-spike be-
fore / got my hands on the captain,
and I heard Blake fire twice.
When | had guessed Belgrag for
putty-soft, l was judging from looks,
not feel That great envelope OF
seeming fat was muscled hard as
nails. and he took the marline-spike
out of my hands as though had offer
ed him cigar. I was a baby in his
giant arms, and he gave me one
squeeze that cracked ribs, tossing me
aside to attend to other matters.
Bruised, crushed, in an agony from
the piercing of broken bones, l crawl
ed from under feet to the side of the
cabin and watched the fight go on.
Blake, his weaponed arm held aloft
in the clutch of his adversary, was
struggling with the mate, and at the
moment had the better of 1t. Clifton,
like me, was down on the floor, he
his chest. Only Reedley was unat-
tached. He stood against the door,
which he had closed, and he was fir
ing his revolver, slowly and deliber-
ately. If he was humming rag-time,
could not hear it.
Belgrag gave the map-table, which
stood in his way, lift with his knee
that turned it completely over and
made a rush for the purser that was
like an elephant charge, Reedley stop
ping him with bullet which would
have downed any ordinary man. The
Igerian gripped at his chest, then
cursed musica1ly in his mother
tongue, and continued the rush. saw
Reedley's gun-hand come up again,
cooley, heard the snap of the hammer
on a dead shell, and the purser was
in Belgrag's hands.
Holding against the wall, got to
my feet, and I had the cIinch-bar
which Clifton began with, in my hand.
and that arm was still good. / could
not cross the room to aid Reedley, but
the bar did. With all my remaining
strength hurled it at Belgrag's head.
There was a crash of splintering
glass, and the room went dark. The
whirling iron had caught the light
bulbs, shivering them into a million
pieces, but whether it had reached its
mark / could not tell The door was
flung open, and in the lighter square
were the figures of hurrying men,
blotted out in a second by the huge
frame of the Sakuntala's captain MAX
ing exit. He was still up, still fight
ing!
"Reedleyl Gilmore" l heard Blake
cry, and l managed to answer him as
the purser shouted cheerfully, "All
right, captain!"
Can you follow me?" asked Blake.
Here's one who can," came new
voice, and Burns rushed through the
door. 'I'm with you, captain"
Good" from Blake, and ReedIey
gave a cheer. where's Clfton"
Some place on the floor" / said
Strike light and see what we have
here" had found a corner where l
could stand with my back supported
two ways.
A match famed up, and saw a
shambles. There wasn't an article of
movable furniture left standing in the
room, and bodies were piled three
deep in its center. The Italian mate
was sprawled at his whole attenuated
length, face down, and there was no
doubt he was dead. The entire top of
his head was blown off. Two of the
three sailors We're in the center mess
and so was Clifton.
Whats your trouble?" asked Blake
of me as the light went out
"Bear-hug; RIBS" l answered. "Pm
plucking them into place, though, cap
tain. Ready when you are, although
pretty well knocked out"
Come on then. It's them or us
now, lads. Drive 'em below or over
the sides!" And he started through
the door.
could stagger on behind, clinching
my lower lip between my teeth, but