san.
Such was the violence of his grasp that he fairly hugged the sword to
his breast, and when he fell backward upon the point the blade snapped.
He was done for.

Morgan and Alvarado, on the other hand, were more equally matched.
Neither had gained an advantage, although both fought with energy and
fury. Alvarado was silent, but Morgan made the air ring with shouts and
cries for his men. As the swords clashed, Carib raised his hand to fling
his knife at Alvarado, but, just as the weapon left his fingers,
Mercedes threw herself upon him. The whizzing blade went wild. With a
savage oath he seized a pistol and ran toward the Spaniard, who was at
last getting the better of the Captain. A cry from Mercedes warned
Alvarado of this new danger. Disengaging suddenly, he found himself at
sword's point with de Lussan, who had withdrawn his broken weapon from
de Tobar's body and was menacing him with it. With three opponents
before him he backed up against the wall and at last gave tongue.

"To me!" he cried loudly, hoping some of his men were within call.
"Alvarado!"

As he spoke Morgan closed with him once more, shouting:

"On him, de Lussan! Let him have it, Black Dog! We've disposed of one!"

As the blades crossed again, the desperate Spaniard, who was a swordsman
of swordsmen, put forth all his power. There was a quick interchange of
thrust and parry, and the weapon went whirling from the hand of the
chief buccaneer. Quick as thought Alvarado shortened his arm and drove
home the stroke. Morgan's life trembled in the balance. The maroon,
however, who had been seeking a chance to fire, threw himself between
the two men and received the force of the thrust full in the heart. His
pistol was discharged harmlessly. He fell dead at his master's feet
without even a groan. No more would Black Dog watch behind the old man's
chair. He had been faithful to his hideous leader and his hideous creed.
Before Alvarado could recover his guard, de Lussan struck him with his
broken sword. The blow was parried by arm and dagger, but the force of
it sent the Spaniard reeling against the wall. At the same instant
Morgan seized a pistol and snapped it full in his face. The weapon
missed fire, but the buccaneer, clutching the barrel, beat him down with
a fierce blow.

"So much for these two," he roared. "Let's to the street."

De Lussan seized Alvarado's sword, throwing away his own. Morgan picked
up his own blade again, and the two ran from