The Argosy, Vol. XXV, No. 3 — page 100: what you’re looking at

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

484 THE ARGOSY. gunner. My hopes leaped freshly. There was undreamed of possibility in that look. Hayling here turned and gravely saluted the captain. ‘“I beg your pardon, sir ” he began. But the old man cut him short. ‘“ Never mind that now. ‘Take care of yourself.’’ Gupp here arose, presenting a most unpleasant sight. Very formidable he looked, and very vicious. All the bad blood in him being at fever heat, he rushed straight at Hayling, swearing hideously the while. But the second mate, who, on occasion, could curse a bit himself, was not to be daunted by a furious explosion of expletives, nor cowed by passion, however hideously distorted. He immediately threw himself into position, and as ‘Gupp rushed in at him he suddenly shot out his long left arm, and in a twinkling the gunner was staggering back almost as quickly as he had come. For Hayling’s long left had struck him above the eyes, and for the moment Mr. Gupp could not have been sure if his skull still retained its roof, When he advanced again it was much more cautiously. An ugly smile played round the lower part of Hayling’s mouth. Each showed his love for the other in a truly horrible fashion. They had been longing for such an opportunity—at least, I knew Hayling had—and now it had come. There was an attempted display of science on the part of Mr. Gupp. He put up his hands in the orthodox fashion and shuffled about, now making a pretense of hitting, and now jumping back ; while all the time the Australian watched him with the same awful look—a look which I have called a smile, but which might better be described as a hideous scowl. As Gupp circled round him he duly shifted his feet, but he never advanced or retreated a step. If the gunner ventured too near, Hayling’s whole frame seemed to bristle—a sign the worthy Gupp never failed to note or to respect. Then almost before one seemed to realize what was happening, the two men closed, and a most ferocious bout of punching ensued. Hayling at first strove hard to shake himself free, a proceeding which his opponent strove equally as hard to frustrate. There was no doubt that the safeguard of the one was the danger of the other; for Hayling, who had much the better science, had everything to lose by infighting. This Gupp soon realized, and once he had closed with the Australian he took every advantage of his weight and muscle. The way they slogged each other was something awful to witness, and for the life of me I could not tell who was getting the better of the engage- ment, till, falling on the deck, the men seemed to break of their own accord. Then, with a speed almost incredible in two such big men, they were on their feet again in an instant. Scarcely staying to breathe, they flew at each other, or, rather, it was Hayling who attacked this time, and in such a way as left little doubt of his intention. ,The shock of the two meeting was ex- tremely painful to witness. The thought of what it must have been like personally to experience makes one shudder. Gupp at once gave way, and Hayling, following him up, beat him so unmercifully that he soon had the big fellow stretched helpless on the deck. Eomichbooks.co