The Girl from Hong-Kong: A Story of Adventure Under Five Suns — page 341: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE GIRL FROM HONG-KONG. 335 Young Donahue prepares for boarders, and braces him- self for the fray. ‘Lhe Mexican pushes nearer, and doubtless his eyes are: endeavoring to penetrate the gloom. Unfortunately there is little choice for Terry—to turn and fly would be not only disclosing his identity as a foe, but doubtless an invitation for the other to plant a bullet in his back. Of two evils it is always good policy to choose the lesser, and he takes it that by keeping his face to the foe he may always have a chance to strike first. The man’s curiosity rises higher—he determines to dis- cover why this comrade, if such he be, refuses. to answer wherr spoken to. He seems to be holding something in his arms—per- haps he has discovered a treasure and is averse to divid- ing the spoils. At any rate the fellow advances. His hand is outstretched, as though he would grasp the other. - Discovery is sure, so that Terry feels he had better make the most of his opportunity. Without warning he suddenly hurls the demijohn of. water against the Mexican. It strikes him fairly in the chest, and the fellow bowls over just as a tenpin in the alley when an experienced hand sends the ball true. At another time it would be ludicrous to Terry, the manner in which this fellow is lifted off his feet, the broken exclamation which escapes his lips as the strange battering ram comes toward him, and the general discom- fiture that overwhelms him. Just now he has other fish to fry. Some men would have scuttled away in mad haste, re- gardless of the demijohn of water, but Terry is made of different material. Perhaps he has some Scotch blood in his veins. A good Briton generally has a strain of Irish and Scotch remote ancestors—at least there are times when he is proud to suspect this: fact. im any rate Terry is determined to stop the French comicbooks.com