The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1919-07-18
WOLVES OF THE SEA
Bv RANDALL PARRISH

until my hand was on the companion
door ready to slide 1t open.
"Tll not be long below" I said sober
ly. Better go forward and see that
your lookout men are awake, and then
come back here"
The port stateroom / had not pre-
viously entered because Of a locked
door. / determined on breaking in
here. There was no key In the lock,
and the stout door resisted by efforts.
Placing the lantern on the deck l sue
ceeded finally In inserting the blade
Of a Ratchet so as TO gain q purchase
sufficient to release the latch. AS the
door yielded a sharp cry assailed me
from within. 1t came forth SO sud-
denly and with sc wild an accent /
stepped blindly backward in fright, my
foot Overturning the lantern, which,
with u single flicker of the candle, went
out. In that last CLEAN l saw a dim,
grotesque outline fronting me-. Then,
in the darkness, cleaned two green,
menacing eyes, growing steadily larger,
nearer, as I stared at them in horror.
Was 1t man or beast2 Devil from hell,
or ONE craZed human against whom
l must battle for life? The green eyes
glared into my face. I lifted my hand
toward him, and touched-hair! My
antagonist was a giant African ape.
Even as the big apes grip caught
me, ripping through jacket sleeve to
the flesh, I realized my great peril, buf
l was no longer paralyzed with
fear. helpless before the unknown. I
drove my Ratchet straight between
those two cleaning eyes. The brute
staggered back, dragging me with him.
His humanlike cry of pain ended In a
snarl, but, brief as the respite proved,
an opportunity to drive my weapon
twice more against the hairy face. The
pain served only to madden the beast,
and before l could wrench free he had
me clutched in an iron grip, my jacket
torn into shreds. His jaws snapped ut
my face, but / had such purchase as
to prevent their touching me, and
mindless Of the claws tearing at my
flesh / forced the animals head back
until the neck cracked and the lips
gave vent to a wild scream of agony.
| dared not let go; dared not relax for
an instant the exercise Of every ounce
Of strength. l felt as though the life
was being squeezed out Of me by the
grasp Of those hairy arms; yet the
very wise in which ] vas held yielded
me leverage. The Ratchet dropped to
the deck and both my hands found
Judgment under the jaw, the muscles
of my arms strained to the utmost, as
I forced back that horrid head. Little
by little 1t gave way, the suffering
brute whining in agony, until, the pain
becoming uncomfortable, the clinging
arms suddenly released their hold let.
ting me drop heavily to the deck.
BY some good fortune / fell upon
the discarded Ratchet, and stumbled
to my feet nce more, gripping the
weapon again in my fingers. I sprang
straight toward him, sending the sharp
blade Of the Ratchet crashing against
the skull. The aim was good, the
stroke a death blow, yet the monster
got me with M paw, and we fell to
the deck together. he ~savagely claw
ing me in his death agony. Then the
hairy figure Quivesed and lay motion
less. / released The %stiffening grip,
rising to my knees. only to immediate
ly pitch forward unconscious.
When I came back once more to life
I vas upon the scbooner's deck breath
ing the fresh night air, Dorothy and
Watkins bending over me.