Tip Top Library: Frank Merriwell in the South Seas — page 18: what you’re looking at

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

16 FRANK MERRIWELL IN THE SOUTH SEAS. CHAPTER IV. CAPTURE OF THE ENGINE ROOM. It was a fortunate tuinble. The man who had been yanked down first had picked himself up with marvel- ous agility and had started up the ladder with a dagger in one hand and a pistol in the other. Frank and the second man fell upon him and bore him to the deck. For a brief instant they sprawled and struggled there in wild confusion, while the uproar forward increased. Several pistol shots rang out upon the midnight air, and the steamer suddenly began to quiver from stem to stern. The meaning of this was evident to the officers. Somebody had reversed the steam. | Who this somebody was there was no reason for doubting. _ The ‘‘shipwrecked’’ (?) Chinese had undertaken to get possession of the vessel, and one or more of their number had cap- tured the engine room. “Shoot or stab any Chink at sight!” shouted Captain Dunbar. Frank, struggling with the two Chi- nese on deck at the foot of the bridge ladder, felt a thrill of relief at the sound of the captain’s voice. The ship’s commander at least had escaped the bullet meant for him. But how long would it be before an- other bullet would be sent straight to its mark? Borne down as he was by the weight of the Chinese above him, and colliding with the other, Frank was between the two at first. He tried to wriggle aside, but he was clutched by both in sucha way that he could hardly stir. | As long as both had their hands on him he was in little danger, but he knew that at any instant one of them might re- lease a hand to shoot or stab Frank was on his back. | He gripped the throat of the Chinese on top of him with both hands. Then he struggled desperately to get away from the other, who was holding him about the waist. _ It was but a second or so before the — one whose throat he held let go with both his hands. There was no seeing his actions in the |darknéss, but Frank knew well enough that the raising of the Celestial’s hands meant that they would be brought down again almost instantly with probably fatal effect. The situation gave him a_ giant’s strength, but he didn’t need it, for at the | sane time the under Chinese let go also, with the intention of inflicting a wound of some kind upon his stubborn antago- nist. Frank realized his opportunity. He let go the throat he held and rolled aside. Immediately he was free and he rose to his knees, Just then First Officer “Murray flashed a bull’s-eye lantern upon the scene from the bridge. _ Frank was appalled at t what the light revealed. The upper Chinese was bringing his arm down with all his force. His hand held a long-bladed knife. The under man was raising a hand that gripped a revolver. All had happened with such remark- able quickness that neither was able to stay his hand when he discovered ‘that his youthful enemy was no longer within reach. It may be that neither Celestial realized that Frank was not between them. At all evénts, at the instant the light flashed, the under man’s pistol was fired, and'the upper man’s long blade was buried to the hilt in his comrade’s breast. He who stabbed sunk upon his side COMIC BOOKS (CO