REFUSING TO BE BLUFFED
Dickie Lang reeled backward as the red-bearded man shoved her from him.
She felt the eel-grass slipping beneath her feet. Striving vainly to
regain her balance, she turned cat-like in the air and broke the fall
with her hands. As she rebounded to her feet she could see Gregory
wrestling with the man who had precipitated the attack. Close by his
side, Tom Howard grappled with the scar-faced islander. The third man
lay huddled on the rocks where he had fallen.
Dickie decided at once upon her course of action. Gregory and Howard
were holding their own against the two men. It was up to her to see that
the third of the islanders did not come to the rescue of his companions.
The man might regain consciousness at any moment. Then there would be
three against two. She remembered suddenly that there was rope on the
_Petrel_. Better than that there was a rifle. It was but a few steps to
the launch. She covered it quickly, caught the main-stay and pulled
herself aboard.
* * * * *
Kenneth Gregory realized at the outset that he was up against a hard
fight. In his hurry to close with the red-bearded man, his foot had
slipped on the slimy grass and he had been forced to clinch to save
himself from falling. This placed him at a marked disadvantage. His
opponent had the best of him in weight by at least twenty pounds and was
heavily muscled. Moreover he possessed a certain agility on the
grass-covered rocks which rendered any attempt on Gregory's part to
force the battle, as extremely hazardous. The islander, at home on the
slippery footing, from the start, became the aggressor.
For a time Gregory was content merely to hold his feet against
Red-beard's rushes and retain his hold on the islander's knife-arm,
should he be possessed of a weapon. Men of that type, he reasoned, were
usually short-winded. In time the heavier man would exhaust himself.
Then his turn would come. Ahead he noticed a clear space, free from
grass. The solid rock would afford good footing. There he would have a
better chance.
If the islander was determined to crowd, he might as well crowd in the
right direction. Gregory changed front slowly, working his body around
the heavier man, giving way before his bull-like rushes. When he reached
the position he desired, he checked his circling movement and began to
retreat steadily. Keeping his feet wide apart, his body carefully
balanced, he backed slowly in the direction of the spot where the grass
would no longer slip beneath his feet.
On the other side of the ledge, Tom Howard battled with the scar-faced
man. Of equal weight and strength, the struggle resolved itself into a
question of endurance, as the two men rolled over each other on the
barnacled rocks in an effort to break the other's grip and strengthen
his own. Unconscious of their surroundings, their heads locked close to
their straining bodies, they grappled blindly, working closer to a deep
crevice which lay across their path. For a brief instant they ceased
struggling. Their bodies stiffened. With each man seeking to pin the
other beneath him they rolled to the crevice and dropped from view.
* * * * *
Dickie, aboard the boat, flashed a glance at the gun-rack. The rifle was
gone. The patent-clasp which held the weapon in place had been wrenched
free. Her eyes traveled to the empty provision-locker, which stood open.
Close by it lay a small monkey-wrench with which some one had battered
the padlock.
A wrench would be better than nothing. She caught it up and ran to the
deck. Securing a small coil of rope, she jumped to the rocks and raced
in the direction of the spot where the weasel-faced man had fallen.
As she ran she caught a glimpse of Gregory giving way before the
red-bearded man toward the table-like surface of the ledge which jutted
out over the cove. Of Howard she could see nothing. She stopped
suddenly as she came in view of the spot where the weasel-faced
islander had sprawled upon the rocks.
The man was gone.
* * * * *
Solid rock beneath his feet at last--Red-beard had forced him to the
exact spot he desired to reach--Gregory's muscles contracted with a
jerk. He stopped retreating and began to slide around the islander. If
he was successful in carrying out his plan it was best to have Red-beard
on the outside of the ledge.
Divining his purpose, the big man stiffened as he caught a glimpse of
the sea over his shoulder. Straining closer to each other's throbbing
bodies, the two men redoubled their efforts to twist the other to the
outside. Red-beard's breath began to come in gasps. He opened his mouth
and sucked in the air feverishly. His corded muscles were beginning to
relax. Gregory's feet shot under the islander's legs and the big man
narrowly escaped falling. When he regained his balance he could not see
the water. The cool air from the sea which had been blowing in his face
now stirred the thick hair which covered his neck. He was on the outside
of the ledge overlooking the cove.
Before he could recover from his surprise, Red-beard felt the fingers on
his arm relax. His opponent wriggled in his arms, stiffened and crushed
against him. As the big man fought to regain his balance, Gregory freed
an arm and his fist flashed to the islander's ear. Red-beard grunted for
breath. Again the rigidly flexed forearm cut under his guard and landed
on his hairy chin. As he raised his big arms to protect his head, his
antagonist twisted free.
Ducking under the clumsy fist which beat the air above his head, Gregory
swung again for the islander's chin. With a snarl of rage, the big man
lowered his head. Then his angry growl changed quickly to a grunt of
pain as he took the blow full in the forehead. Reeling dizzily, his hand
sought his girdle. His fingers closed on the hilt of his knife and
jerked it free.
Gregory hurled himself forward at the sight of the steel. Grasping the
uplifted arm he wrenched it inward, twisting the man half around.
Surprised at the suddenness of the move, the islander gave way in a
series of staggering steps which carried him to the edge of the rock
ledge overlooking the water.
Retaining his hold on the red-bearded man's wrist, Gregory struck with
all his force at the bulging chest. As the blow landed he felt the body
crumple in his arms and the knife clattered to the rocks. The islander
staggered backward with his assailant pressing close against him. In
their struggle both men had for the moment forgotten the overhanging
ledge.
[Illustration: Both men had forgotten the overhanging ledge]
Gregory remembered it too late. Red-beard's arms were still about him.
Suddenly he felt the dead weight of the islander's body. As he strove to
break the man's hold he tottered on the brink of the ledge. He felt
himself being dragged downward. Before his eyes flashed the rock-dappled
waters of the cove. His only chance lay in clearing the rocks below.
His knees straightened with a jerk. Shoving his body outward, he
plunged over the ledge with the islander clinging to him.
The warning scream died on Dickie Lang's lips as she ran toward them.
Checking her steps on the edge of the rocks overlooking the water, she
stared at the ever-widening circles which rippled the water and the
jagged rocks which shone ominously dark beneath the surface. She
followed the center of the ripples mechanically. Thank God, they had hit
in a clear spot. But what chance would a man have throttled like that by
another?
The cool rush of air on his throbbing face gave place to a cooler one as
the waters closed over Kenneth Gregory's head. He felt his body sinking
like a stone. The arms about his body tightened. The blood pounded to
his brain. To his mind flashed stories of swimmers who had been drowned
by women with the fatal strangle-hold. He realized sharply that he was
held by no woman, but a red-bearded giant, insane through fear,
incapable of reason. Whatever he did must be done at once.
With an effort which left his lungs pressing hard against his ribs he
freed an arm and worked it upward until he felt the matted hair of the
islander's beard. From there it was only a span to the throat. That was
what he must reach. The throat. The words raced through his brain. The
throat. He must shut down on that and hang. His groping fingers searched
for the elusive organ. Perhaps Red-beard had no throat. The
grotesqueness of the idea caused him to want to laugh. It didn't matter
much after all. Not when.... There it was. He had found it at last. His
fingers stiffened and slid on the slippery flesh. Then they fastened,
tightened and hung.
* * * * *
Good God, would they never come up? Dickie searched the faintly dimpled
waters from her commanding elevation, but her closest scrutiny revealed
no sign of the men beneath the surface. Kenneth Gregory was drowned as
his father had been drowned at Diablo. So intent was the girl upon her
examination of the water that she failed to see a limping figure emerge
cautiously from behind a pile of rocks and drop into a near-by crevice.
* * * * *
Under the steady pressure of his fingers, Gregory felt the body of the
islander relax. Then he became conscious in a vague sort of way, of
movement. They were rising to the surface or sinking lower to the
bottom. Why couldn't he tell which? He freed his legs from the inert
form which twined itself about him, and kicked weakly. The red-bearded
man slipped from him at the effort and he narrowly escaped losing his
hold upon his throat. He kicked again. If he could only get one gulp of
air he could make it. In spite of the ever-increasing pressure on his
lungs he found himself getting sleepy. He was tired, worn out. If he
could only fill his lungs with something to stop that dull pain, he
could go to sleep and rest.
* * * * *
Dickie Lang saw the dark blot of the two figures as they neared the
surface. Then she thought of the rope in her hand. She could weigh it
with the wrench and throw it from where she stood. Uncoiling it hastily,
she measured the distance. Too far, she realized bitterly. She looked to
the water's edge. The distance would be shorter from there. Shoving the
wrench into her pocket and throwing the rope loosely about her neck, she
crawled over the ledge and climbed downward.
The ledge dipped sharply under the overhanging surface and extended
shoreward in a narrow shelf, carpeted by kelp and washed by the sea.
Around that big boulder would be the best place. From there she could
throw the rope to good advantage. She was about to shout encouragement
when she heard the sharp splash of a stone falling into the water from
the cliff. Shrinking closer to the rocks, she listened. Then crept
silently on.
* * * * *
Air to breathe at last! Gregory lay passive on the surface, content to
gulp it in in huge mouthfuls. Nothing else mattered now. His head
throbbed painfully and his eyeballs burned in their sockets. But he had
air. And that was enough. As the pressure of blood on his brain
lessened, he became conscious of the fact that he was still gripping the
islander's throat. He released his fingers and the big head tilted
forward until it rested face down on the water. With a start Gregory
realized that the air had come too late for Red-beard. He must get the
man ashore at once.
He turned his head slowly and saw the rock ledge only a few feet away.
By that big overhanging boulder would be the place to land. There he
could crawl up on the soft kelp and rest. Rolling the unconscious man to
his back, he swam slowly for the ledge.
* * * * *
Dickie reached the base of the projecting rock and wedging her slender
body into a small fissure, peered cautiously through the cleft. So close
that she could almost touch him, alert and motionless, stood the
weasel-faced man. His small eyes were fixed upon the water. The hand
which was nearest her held a knife.
Wriggling from the crevice she hastily retraced her steps. No use trying
to squeeze through there. She would be in full view before she would
have a chance. Flashing a glance at the rugged surface of the boulder,
she began to climb.
* * * * *
It was farther to the ledge than he thought. Something was the matter
with his legs. His arms had no strength. They had almost ceased to
function. A sharp pain gripped his side and tore downward through his
body. Still Gregory swam on. In another moment he could reach out and
grip the kelp with his hand. He closed his eyes and swam mechanically.
At length his extended fingers touched the sea-grass which fringed the
ledge. Twining them eagerly about it, he pulled his aching body closer
and rested, clinging to the rocks.
* * * * *
Hand over hand Dickie Lang crawled upward and outward until she could
see the water lapping at the ledge beneath. From her vantage point she
could see Gregory swimming on with closed eyes in the direction of the
rocks. His limbs were moving slowly and his face was drawn with pain.
Still he floundered on. Straight for the kelp-covered ledge--and
Weasel-face.
A sharp turn in the rocky pathway put the man in full view, only a few
feet below. Sheltered from sight of the struggling figure in the water,
he waited in silence.
If she called out to warn Gregory to seek a new landing-place it was
doubtful if he could make the beach in his exhausted condition. Such a
course, too, would make her presence known to the hatchet-faced man who
as yet had not observed her. No, it was better to take the man unawares.
She thought of the rope. Perhaps she could loop it over his head. She
gave up the idea at once. It could only fail. Jamming her hands into her
pockets, her fingers closed on the wrench. She jerked it out and
balanced it in her hand. A feeling of confidence surged over her. She
couldn't miss him from where she stood. Her pastime of flinging stones
at the gulls when a child would stand her in good stead now. If the man
looked up, she would throw before he could recover from his surprise.
* * * * *
Dragging his tired body wearily from the water, Gregory pulled his
unconscious companion after him. As he stretched the islander at full
length on the soft kelp and knelt over him, he caught sight of a man's
foot protruding from behind a rock.
Gregory stumbled to his feet. At the same instant he heard the sound of
a muffled blow. A small wrench clattered to the rocks and fell with a
splash into a pool of water.
"I knew I could get him," a girlish voice called from above. Dickie Lang
jumped down with shining eyes and made her way toward him. "Buck up," he
heard her say. But the voice trailed away into silence.
When he regained consciousness, the girl was bending over him, rubbing
his numbed limbs and slapping his cold flesh violently.
"You'll be all right in a minute," she said. "Don't try to talk now. Lie
still and rest. Feel better?"
He nodded. As he moved his head he noticed the two figures lying close
beside him. Noting the questioning look in his eyes, Dickie explained:
"They're all right or will be in a little while. I'm looking after them.
When they come to, I'm going to tie them up." She flourished a small
coil of rope.
As his strength returned Gregory began to pick up the loose threads.
"Howard?" he asked.
She shook her head. "Don't know where he is. Couldn't see him. Don't
worry. Chances are he's all right. He's hard as nails. When you can walk
we'll go and look for him."
They found the fisherman huddled against the rocks at the bottom of the
small crevice. Close by his side lay the scar-faced islander. Both men
were unconscious.
Gregory examined Howard carefully.
"His leg is broken," he announced. "And he's pretty well bruised up. He
must have got an awful jolt when he fell on these rocks." Jumping up, he
exclaimed: "I'll go and get something for splints," he said. "Make him
as comfortable as you can."
When he returned Dickie noticed he carried a heavy oar which he had
fashioned into a rude crutch, a number of small strips of wood and a
piece of an old blanket.
"Found them on the _Petrel_," he said as he set to work.
Dickie assisted Gregory in caring for the wounded man. Her respect for
the young man increased as she noted the skilful manner with which he
worked. Soon Howard's leg was set and after a time he opened his eyes
and slowly regained consciousness. The sun was high overhead when they
were able to move the injured men. While Howard rested for a moment on
the ledge, Gregory carried the unconscious form of the other man to the
soft sea-grass and stretched him at full length. Then he thought of the
two men they had left on the narrow shelf by the sea.
"I'd better have a look at Red-beard and the other fellow," he said
suddenly. "The water might come in there and wash them off."
Dickie nodded. "I'll stay here," she said, and Gregory hurried off.
When he came back he shook his head. "Gone," he announced.
"Washed off?"
"Don't think so. The water hadn't quite got to where we left them. I
guess they sneaked."
Dickie's eyes searched the sea while he spoke.
"I can't understand what is keeping the boys from the _Curlew_," she
said. "We'd better get Tom aboard the _Petrel_ where we can make him
more comfortable. Better bring the other fellow too. There's some whisky
on the boat unless those devils have stolen it too. Hello, what's that?"
The quiet was broken by the sharp clatter of horses' hoofs. Looking in
the direction of the sound, Gregory saw a number of horsemen riding over
the crest of the bluff overlooking the cove.
The fisherman glanced toward the dory which lay on the rocks at the
extreme end of the ledge.
"Better beat it," he suggested.
Dickie Lang shook her head stubbornly. "No," she said. "We'll leave that
man here and the rest of us will get aboard. The _Petrel's_ on tide land
and I'll be damned if any one's going to bluff me out."