ure with the bloody, battered face
as Deming. The hunter had managed to get hold of Lund's gun. Rainey's
aim was screened by a sudden lunge of the huddle of men. He saw Lund
heave, saw his red face bob up, mouth open, roaring once more, saw his
leg come up in a tremendous kick that caught Deming's outleveling arm
close to the elbow, saw the gleam of the gun as it streaked up and
overboard, and Deming staggering back, clutching at his broken limb,
cursing with the pain, to bring up against the rail and shout to the
seamen:

"Get into it, you damned cowards! Get into it, and settle him!"

Even in that instant the sarcasm of the cry of "cowards" struck home to
Rainey. The next second the girl had jumped by him, a glint of metal in
her hand as she brought it out of her blouse. This time she saw him.
"Come on!" she cried. And darted between the fighters and the storming
figure of Deming, who tried to grasp her with his one good arm, but
failed.

Rainey sped after her just as Lund reached the mast. The girl had a
nickeled pistol in her hand and was threatening the sullen line of
irresolute seamen. Rainey with his gun was not needed. He heard Lund
shout out in a triumphant cry and saw him battering at the heads of
three who still clung to him.

All through the fight Lund had kept his head, struggling to the purpose
he had finally achieved, to reach the mast-rack of belaying pins, seize
one of the hardwood clubs and, with this weapon, beat his assailants to
the deck.

He stood against the mast, his clothes almost stripped from him, the
white of his flesh gleaming through the tatters, streaked with blood.
Save for his eyes, his face was no longer human, only a mass of flayed
flesh and clotted beard. But his eyes were alight with battle and then,
as Rainey gazed, they changed. Something of surprise, then of delight,
leaped into them, followed by a burning flare that was matched in those
of the girl who, with Rainey herding back the seamen, had turned at
Lund's yell of victory.

Lund took a lurching step forward over the prone bodies of the men on
the deck, that was splotched with blood.

"By God!" he said slowly, his arms opening, his great fingers outspread,
his gaze on the girl, "by God!"

The girl's face altered. Her eyes grew frightened, cold. The retreating
blood left her cheeks pale, and she wheeled and fled, dodging behind
Tamada, who gave way to let her pass, his ivory features showing no
emotion, closing up th