great club. But it was an
obedient noise.

From one quarter came the single note of dissent. The man in the main
rigging sang out. It was Boston's voice.

"Go aft, mates!" he shouted. "We've got them--we've won--don't listen
to him!" Then he threw his voice at Newman. "Damn you, Big 'Un,
you've spoiled the game!" A flash followed the oath, and a splinter
flew from the deck at Newman's feet.

There was a flash from my gun as well. I fired without taking
conscious aim; I swear, an invisible hand seemed to lift my arm, a
finger not mine seemed to press the trigger--and that greedy, murderous
rascal in the rigging screamed, and loosed his hold. He struck the
sheer pole in his descent, and bounced into the sea.

The shots seemed to awaken Captain Swope from his surprise and terror.
He had suddenly moved with catlike swiftness; when I lowered my eyes
from the rigging, I saw he had left his refuge behind the mizzenmast
and was standing in the open deck. Aye, there he stood in that light,
which had reached its maximum, revealed to all eyes--and stamped upon
his face was an expression of insane fury so terrible and deadly he
seemed not a human being at all, but a mad beast crouched to spring.
His lips were drawn back from his teeth, and a froth appeared upon his
black beard. The crowd forward saw the demon unmasked in his face,
even as I saw it, and from them arose a gasping "_a-ah_!" of horror.

The sound caused the lady, who was standing at Newman's elbow, to turn
around; or perhaps it was the feel of Swope's burning eyes that spun
her about so quickly. He was raising his arm, the arm that held the
gun, not quickly but slowly and carefully. With a stab of horror I saw
him aim, not at the man, but at the woman.

No outside power this time seemed to aid me. I shot. I should have
hit the beast, he was not ten paces distant--but only a click answered
when my hammer fell. My gun was empty. I threw up my arm, intending
to hurl the weapon, and I think I cried out. Swope shot--and the lady
threw up her hands and fell.

You must understand, this all happened in a brief instant of time.
Aye, it was but a short moment since we stepped out on deck. What
happened after that shot must be measured by seconds.

For the lady was still falling, and my hand was still reaching behind
me to gather energy for a throw, when Newman bore down upon his enemy.
I had not seen him turn around even, and there he was at arm's gri