The Argosy, Vol. XXV, No. 3 — page 99: what you’re looking at

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

THE VOYAGE OF THE PULO WAY. 483 clattering to his knees. Hayling at once took the girl’s hand and led her towards the companion, while she looked up into his hard, rough face, her eyes full of tears. “Thank you, Mr. Hayling.”’ He had been called Mr. Hayling often enough before, but never in such a way. The soft little hand nestling into his made it tingle. ‘*T am sorry for your sake that you should have occasion to thank me.’’ He stopped at the door and let her passin. She stole a fearful look for- ward and then shuddered. ‘‘ That horrid man is coming.’ A quick glance was enough for Hayling. ‘You may go below without fear. He shall not follow you.’’ ‘But you?’”’ ‘“Oh, I’m all right,’’ said he, with one of his odd laughs. ‘You will be careful ?”’ ‘“T promise you.’’ He turned and faced the scowling Gupp, who still held his head as though he had a buzzing in his ears. But if he had been drinking before the blow, the drunkenness had been knocked out of him. He advanced stealthily, head down, eyes peering up through bushy brows ; then suddenly, without a word of warning, he drew his sheath knife and rushed upon the Austra- lian. But Hayling had been taking in every movement, and with a quick spring he caught the man by the wrist and jerked the knife from his grasp. At this moment the captain and I appeared, for we had seen Miss Waltham in the saloon, and she had sobbed out the state of things, 3 As soon as the knife clattered harmlessly to the deck, Hayling closed with his opponent, and as the men locked their arms round each other a fearful struggle began. Gupp was heavier, and, perhaps, in a rough way, a bit more powerful, but the Australian had strong arms and quick feet, and a back that seemed to bend and right itself like steel. | They swayed from side to side, now against the deck house, now against the bulwarks, over which the gunner tried his hardest to force his adversary. But though by a superhuman effort he once raised Hayling off his feet, that agile one was down on them again long before the onlooker was aware of it. And so the fierce struggling and panting went on, till, with a quick backward movement, Hayling broke from his opponent’s hold, and as he did so he sent his fist crashing into Gupp’s face. CHAPTER X.—A CAUSE OF ALARM. Ir was a wonderfully quick bit of work, and, taking the gunner by sur- prise, seemed to daze him. He went flying backwards, his huge arms swing- ing in the air, till the bulwarks brought him up witha crash. Ashe clattered clumsily to the deck the blood spurted freely from his nose. I was about to step forward to interfere, when the captain laid his hand on my arm, and with a look cautioned a policy of non intervention. It was the first inkling I had that all was not well between the captain and his ; Eomichook (©)