Part 29 (2/2)
”To-day's ha should teach them to leave the _Kansas_ alone in future,” said Christobal
”I hope so, but Suarez and Tolleree that they are most persistent wretches Now, Boyle, you ive Miss Maxwell some documents I wish her to see Then, Tolleht, Christobal; I pro
I shall be ready for a nap at four o'clock At present I feel particularly wide-awake”
He went to the cabin They heard hi hail came from two sailors stationed on the poop
”Indianos!” they yelled
The threetheir eyes into the black vagueness of the water
”Indianos!” shouted two other sailors on the forecastle, and frouish several black objectstowards the shi+p
”The siren, Boyle,” cried Courtenay, striking a -horn smote the air and thundered away in tre, fiery serpent ran up the port wall of the chart-house, and a fine star rocket soared into the sky
It illuminated a wide area of the bay, and revealed a nu in on the shi+p frorasped the lines connected with the re mines and hauled for dear life
Already the Indian rifle fire was crackling with vivid spurts of fla to patter on the deck and bang against the steel plates Two of the dynamite bombs exploded with the usual din, but it was i of the Indians
The loud suht all hands fros closed, and Walker ht The increasing violence of the stone-slinging showed that the Alaculofs meant to press home this time
Whatever their dread of the fiends who roam the world in the dark, they had conquered it, and this latest phase in the stor one
Courtenay, who seehted torches which were fastened to the eht alarm He had used the last rocket on board, but the flares would burn for fifteen ht the defenders were able to shoot or shly contrived grapnells fashi+oned out of bent sticks and thongs of hide
But there were only thirteen men to repel an attack which developed at fifty points simultaneously Ere the torches flickered in their sockets the savages had swar at the canvas shi+elds and sweeping the hurricane deck with showers of missiles Tollemache was injured, and Walker Courtenay had his forehead cut open Suarez fell insensible while he was bellowing curses through thethe determined enemy Two Chileans were down, one struck with a stone and the other shot through the lungs
So, at last, the _Kansas_ was in the grip of a savage and i a steam hose to the weakest point, the after part of the promenade deck, met Christobal He clutched the Spaniard in a way there could be no
”Go below!” he muttered in a terrible voice ”I cannot leave the deck
You o And, for God's sake, don't tell her! Let her die without knowing!”
CHAPTER XV
IN WHICH THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENS
When Christobal descended to the saloon he found Elsie holding the excited dog It was instantly perceptible that she was not aware of the grave position of affairs on deck She knew, of course, that the Alaculof ain, but the first attack had been beaten off so easily that she was sure this later effort would fail
The dog was better infors on board He struggled so resolutely that Elsie freed hietting his wounded paw, and all a-quiver with the fine courage of his race, Joey galloped up the companion and disappeared Elsie was nacity
”I could not keep hi hit Do you think he will go to the chart-house? That is so exposed--Captain Courtenay is not there, is he?”
”No I left hio, close to the saloon entrance”
She listened intently Her i tack