s horns.

The seaman's purpose now was to act the part of a matador. He knew that
he possessed coolness and nerve sufficient for the deed; he hoped that
he had the skill; he felt that hunger could no longer remain
unsatisfied; he feared that death by starvation might be the lot of
himself and his companions, and he preferred to meet death in action--if
meet it he must. All things considered, he resolved to face the bovine
thunderbolt with unflinching front, like a true-blue British tar!

His coolness in the circumstances was evinced by the remarks muttered to
himself in a growly tone as the bull approached.

"Three futt--that'll be enough. I don't rightly remember how near them
mattydoors let him come before they putt their helms hard down an' let
him go by, but I think three futt'll do."

This decision was barely reached when the bull was upon him with lowered
head and erect tail. It was an awful rush, but Hockins stood like a
rock with the cutlass pointed. At the pre-arranged moment he stepped to
one side, but instead of letting the momentum of the animal do the work,
he could not resist the impulse to drive the cutlass deeper into the
bull's neck. The result was that, though he escaped the creature's horn
by a very narrow shave, the cutlass was wrenched violently from his
grasp, and he was sent head over heels upon the plain!

Seeing this, Mark and the negro ran to the rescue, the one howling like
a maniac, the other clubbing his gun; but their aid was not required,
for the work of the amateur matador had been effectively done. After
receiving the deadly thrust the bull plunged forward a few paces, and
then fell dying upon the ground, while Hockins got up and began to feel
himself all over to make sure that no bones were broken.

It need scarcely be told that they rejoiced greatly over their success,
and that they cut off some of the flesh immediately, with which they
returned to the forest to enjoy a much-needed meal.

"We must kindle a fire now," said Mark, stopping at an open space in the
midst of a very secluded spot at the foot of a magnificent palm-tree.
"You see I'm not prepared to act like a cannibal or Eskimo, and eat the
meat raw."

"There won't be much fear now," said Hockins, "especially if we make the
fire of dry wood an' keep it small. Just look at that, Doctor."

He held out his cutlass for inspection. It had been seriously bent in
the recent encounter.

"Ain't that a cryin' shame t