In the Sunk Lands — page 144: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

IN THE SUNK LANDS. 131 My heart leaped high. It was an axe, dropped in the hurried rush. All this transpired in less than a minute. Bob gave an exultant cry and caught up atorch. Treve got the other one, and, with the flaming brands outstretched, they charged at the same moment that I pounced down on the axe. But the wildcat, instead of taking off, construed it as a help to his work, and, with a spiteful yowl, swung around and commenced to use its claws with terrible effect. There was not a second to be lost. I swung the axe around my head and ran forward. | There came cries of pain, and Joe tried to stagger to his feet. This made it doubly dangerous. Suppose I should strike Joe ! I swallowed pretty hard, and then, as they rolled toward me, I saw the cat was on top. | Once around my head, and then, driven by every ounce of strength I possessed, the axe descended; struck something hard, and ~ sank in like a knife into a water melon. There was a feeble wail, and the eat roll- Gomicbooks:. co