grasp. He was making for
the Elephant Head.

"Ichi! Where are you? Lend a hand here!" Carew shouted. "You
white-livered sneak--send a man out here if you are afraid!"

"Answer him!" Martin urged Ichi. "Tell him, 'This way!'"

Ichi stuttered, and hesitated. He was evidently less anxious to face
Carew than was Martin.

Out on board the brig, the battle apparently was over, with victory for
Martin's side. For Martin saw one of the _Cohasset's_ boats swinging
out in the davits, and heard the bosun's stentorian bellow as he
encouraged the launching. On the poop still stood Captain Dabney, his
rifle trained shorewards. Even as Martin looked, the rifle cracked,
and the sand spurted about the feet of the Jap sailor by the dingey.

The closeness of the miss seemed to rattle the man, to take his wits
and lend wings to his feet. He had been landing the gear of the boat;
he now dropped his task and sped for the caves. He would have been
quite safe had he fallen in behind his captain and unwilling companion,
for they would not have ventured a shot from the ship with Ruth in line
of fire. But he attempted to speed by Carew and gain the--as he
thought--comparatively safety of the caves.

"Help me here--hey, you--stop!" commanded Carew, as the man dashed
past. "Damn you then--take, that!" And he threw down with the pistol
he was brandishing, and shot the sailor in the back. The fellow
pitched forward on his knees, and then fell face down on the sand.

In the cavern where the trio lurked, Ichi suddenly yelped as Little
Billy pressed the point of his knife a half inch into the yellow hide.
"Call to him," he commanded.

Ichi screamed it. "This way! This way, Captain!"

"Where? Show yourself! Give me a hand, here!" roared Carew.

Martin thrust Ichi half out of the cave, and, when Carew glimpsed him,
jerked him back again. Swearing vilely, Carew changed his course, and
began to draw Ruth towards the open-mouthed cave.

He had his hands full with the girl. His hand, rather, for he held her
with one arm, leaving his other, his weapon arm, free. She was
struggling furiously to break free from his grasp, wriggling, kicking,
clawing, using all of her vigorous strength against him. Almost she
succeeded. Then he had recourse to brute tactics to subdue her.

"Curse you, come along!" he exclaimed, and struck her heavy blows in
the face with the fist that held the revolver. She sagged limply in
his arm.

Somet