ossible and get the fellow's knife.

As he came up the steps, I rushed for him and kicked out with all my
strength, when his face was level with my knees. The toe of my heavy shoe
caught him solidly in the neck, and he went over backward almost in a
complete somersault, landing with a crash upon the main deck just outside
the window of Mr. Trunnell's room. He was stunned by the fall, and I
hastened down to seize him before he could recover. Just as I gained the
main deck, however, he gave a snort and started to his feet. Then he let
out a yell like a madman and closed with me, my right hand luckily
reaching his wrist below the knife.

It was up and down, and all over the deck for a time, the men crowding
aft around us, but fearing to take a hand. The fellow had enormous
strength, and the way he made that knife hand jump and twist gave me all
I could do to keep fast to it. Soon I found I was losing ground, and he
noted the fact, exerting himself more and more as he found me failing.
Then it dawned upon me that I was in a bad fix, and I tried to think
quickly for some means to save myself. In another mad struggle he would
wrench himself clear, and his ugly look told me plainly how much mercy I
could expect. I gave one last despairing grip on his wrist as he tore
wildly about, and then I felt his arm slip clear of my fingers, and I
waited for the stroke with my left arm drawn up to stop its force as far
as possible. I could almost feel the sting of the steel in my tense
nerves, when something suddenly caught me around the middle and pressed
me with great force against my enemy. His face was almost against mine,
but his arms were pinioned to his sides, powerless, and then I was aware
that we both were encircled by the ape-like arms of the mate, Mr.
Trunnell. How the little fellow held on was a marvel. He braced his short
legs wide apart, and giving a hug that almost took the breath out of me,
bawled lustily for some man to pass a lashing.

Suddenly a man rushed aft and passed a line around the stranger, and I
saw that the young landlubber to whom, earlier in the morning, I had been
so harsh was a man to be depended on. The young fellow tied my enemy up
in short order, although the knots he used would not have done any credit
to a sailor. But I was more than thankful when I had a chance to wring
the long knife out of the murderous stranger's hand, and I spoke out to
the smooth-faced fellow. "You'll do, my boy, even if you d