The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1919-11-20


come On easy prey, II they can only
slip on us unseen. How are you, bull.
lles1 Ready to battle your old mntesf"
Those were no mates o. ours, sir"
said watkins Indignantly. "They are
half-breed mongrels, and no sailors;
EStevan is a hell.hound. an 80 far as
my voice goes. I'd rather die on this
deck thnn ever ngin be Il bloody pirate.
II that the right words. lads?"
The others grunbled assent. but
their muttered words had In them a
ring Of sincerity. and their faces y.
hlbited no cownrdice. One only asked
a question.
I'm fer fghtin', sir he said grim
ly. but whnt1l we usef Them lads
amt comm aboard bure-handed. but
damn II I've seed a werpon on this
hooker"
Oars three knives, an a meat
cleaver In der galley, sah," chlmed in
Sam.
Wen do we'll enough some OF you
have your sheath knives yet, and the
rest can use Delaying pins and capstnn
bars. The point is to not let them get
aboard. and, II there Is only one boat,
we will be pretty even.bandcd. Pick
up what you can, and man this rail-
quietly now. hearties. and keep your
eyes OPEN"
II proved a longer wait than I ex-
pected. Unable to withstand the In
action any longer I turned and took a
few steps nft, thinking to gauge our
progress by tho wake astcrn. was
abaft the cabin on the port side when
Dorothy called my me- sudden &C
cent Of terror In her voice.
The alarm was sounded none too
o Either fortune, or skill, had
served those demons we'll. They had
succeeded In circilng the stern Of the
Santa Marie. unseen and unheard by
anyone aboard. Even as she shrieked
the alarm. a hand was ut her throat,
and she was struggling desperately In
the merciless grip Of Q half-naked In
dian.
Yet at that they were too late, the
advantage Of surprise had failed them.
A half dozen had reached the deck.
leaping from the rail. the others below
clamberIng after their leaders. when
with a rush we met them. II vas a
fierce, mad fight. fist and club pitted
against knife and c~utlass. but the de-
Tenders struck like demons i%ncarnate.
I doubt II the struggle lasted two min
ties. I heard the blows. the oaths. the
cries OF pain. the dull thud Of wood
against bone. the sharp clang Of steel
In contact, the shutting OF feet on the
deck, the splash OF bodies hurled over
board. Each man fought for himself,
In his own way. I thought only OF her,
and lenped straight for her assallnnt
with bare hands. smashing recklessly
through the hasty guard Of his cutlass
and grlpped the copper devil by hair
and throat. I knew she fell to the
deck beneath our feet. but ! had my
work cut out for ne. He was Q hell
hound. slippery as an eel In his half
~nakedness, strong rs IN OK, and light
ing like q fend. Yet I had him foul,
my grip unbreakable. as ! forced his
neck back against the rail. until II
cracked. the swarthy body sliding inert
to the deck. Whirling to assist the
others ! found no need. Except for
bodies here and there the deck wal
clear: men were struggling In the
chains; two below In the boat were
e%ndeavoring to cast of. and Schmitt
with Estevan helpless In his arms
staggered to the side and flung the
shrleking Spanish cur overheard out
into dark water. heard the splash ss
he fell, the single cry his lips gave, but
he never again appeared above the sur
face. Above the bcdlam Watkins
roared out a order.
That's II, DULLES! that's III Now
let her dropl Wen send them to he'll
where they belong. Good shot; she
landed I"
II was the hank Of q spare anchor
balanced for an instant On the rail
then sent crashing down through tn,
frall bottom Of the boat beneath. TIL,
wreck drifted away into the fog, tn,
two miserable occupants cllnglng des
perately TO the %gunwales. lifted
Dorothy to her feet. and she chung I,
me unsteadily, her face yet white.
watkins. have you figured up 70
sults?"
1.-TWO OF our men are cut rather
badly. and one hasn't corde to yet frou
q smart rap on the head"
"None got awayf"
"Not less they swum, thar's six deaf
ines aboard. -Four took ter the water
mostly because they he'd to. The onl.
Twin one o. the bunch Is tibet nlgge
'longside the wheel, an nuthin' but
thick skull saved him"
'"Thcn there were eleven In tn,
party. What do you suppose has be
come OF the others aboard the Ma
MUIR"
81 dunno, sir they might be a waitir
out there 10 fog. Perhaps the nigge
cud tel! ...'
! crossed owe to where the fello,
sut on n grating. h head In his hands
the slr' n. rhg.ug t. my sleeve, n
thoush fcart.' ~ 7sinE l'f, alone. Tn