Beadle's Dime Novels No. 94: The Mad Skipper — page 63: what you’re looking at

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

=" A BRIEF sTRUGGIR. 63 his knees with the weapon uplifted, and directed toward the head of the Portuguese. Before it could be thrown, how- ever, the we snatched up the boat’s drag, and whirling it round, hurled it at the dusky traitor, knocking the instrument from his hand, At the same time he shouted to his friends, who, thoroughly aroused, spring to their feet, simultaneously with the three islanders. The one who had held the hatchet now seized it again, and hurled it at the head of the dwarf, who dodged it, however, by a quick movement, causing the sharp edge of the instrument to bury itself in the bow. In an instant it was in Ben’s grasp; and just as the second mate, who had snatched up the boat-hook, was on the point of bringing the ugly weapon down upon his head, he sent the instrument crashing through the brain of the islander. With a wild scream, the savage fell over the side of the boat into the water, and the next moment Frank Harland seized the throat of one of the others, while Ben grasped that of thethird. A struggle of brief duration now ensued. Frank and Ben were powerful men and good wrestlers, so that they soon had their antagonists down, upon their backs, pressed firmly between the thwarts in such a Way that they could pili y move. | “You miserable blueskins!” exclaimed the old - sailor, “ what could have set you to tryin’ your infarnal games upon us? Those few biscuits in the bag, I suppose.” “ Not dem only,” gasped one of the savages ; “ jus’ as well tell you now as oder time, and ge may kill, s pose you like to. Ain’t afraid to die! We goin’ to kill you three men ‘be- cause we mad that you no give us bag of biscuit, and because, if kill you, we have plenty eat ; for no tink we find ship for long time.” ™ . “Ay, ay,” cried Ben, much disgusted. “Tt’s just as I al- ways thought, which is that cannibals will always be cannibals when sarcumstances is favorable. What shall we do with ‘em, Frank ?” “We will not hurt the poor wretches, if they will promise to behave themselves in future.” “ Berry well, dat!” exclaimed Mokio, the one who so writhing in the young sailor’s grasp, “ me no trouble as cares com)