f Clatterby, Jenkins
suddenly hit Captain Lee a tremendous blow on the head, which was meant
to fell him at once; but the captain's head was harder than he had
expected it to be; he instantly grappled with Jenkins. Edwin's
amazement did not prevent his prompt action; but at the moment he sprang
to the rescue, he received a blow from Thomson, who leaped on him, and
seized him by the throat with a vice-like gripe. At the same moment
Smith also sprang upon him.

Thomson soon found that he had miscalculated young Gurwood's strength.
Strong though his grasp was, Edwin's was stronger. Almost as quick as
thought he threw his left arm round Thomson's waist, grasped his hair
with his right hand, and almost broke his back. There is no question
that he would have overcome him in a few seconds if Smith had not
hampered him. As it was, he disengaged his right arm for a moment and,
hitting a familiar and oft-tried blow straight out from the shoulder
planted his knuckles just above the bridge of Smith's nose. He fell as
if he had been shot but the momentary relief thus afforded to Thomson
enabled that scoundrel to get into a better position for continuing the
struggle. Meanwhile Jenkins, although bravely and stoutly opposed by
the veteran Lee, quickly rendered his adversary insensible, and at once
sprang upon Edwin, and turned the scale in favour of his comrade, who at
the moment was struggling in the youth's grasp with savage though
unavailing ferocity. At the same time Smith, who had only been stunned,
recovered, and seizing Edwin by the legs endeavoured to throw him down,
so that it went hard with our young hero after that despite his
activity, strength and courage.

During this scene, which was enacted in a very few minutes, poor Mrs
Durby sat drawn up into the remotest corner of the carriage, her face
transfixed with horror, and a terrific yell bursting occasionally from
her white lips. But neither the sound of her cries nor the noise of the
deadly struggle could overtop the clatter of the express train. Those
in the next compartment did indeed hear a little of it but they were
powerless to render assistance, and there was at that time no means of
communicating with the guard or driver. Poor Edwin thought of Captain
Lee, who lay bleeding on the floor, and of Emma, and the power of
thought was so potential that in his great wrath he almost lifted the
three men in the air; but they clung to him like leeches, and it is