de,
knocked the pistol to one side with his cutlass and the bullet merely
grazed Larry's hair. Then Larry leaped forward and gave the Russian
lieutenant a thrust in the side which put the fellow out of the fight
instantly.

For fully fifteen minutes the battle had now raged and it was growing
hotter each instant. All of the available men on each ship were in the
fray, and the cries and yells which resounded were deafening.

"We certainly can't keep this fight up much longer!" panted Larry. He
had a cut on his left hand and one in the shoulder, but kept on with
dogged determination.

"Well, we ain't goin' to surrender!" grunted Luke. "It's fight or die, I
guess!" And he leaped forward once more.

Two tall Russians were directly in front of the old Yankee gunner, and
both fell upon him with their cutlasses at the same instant. Luke was
capable of warding off the weapon of one, but he was no match for the
pair, and it speedily looked as if they would surely kill him.

"Back with ye!" he yelled, and swung his cutlass as rapidly as he could,
but they crowded him still closer and then one made a thrust at his face
and another at his body.

It was at this critical moment that Larry, who had been engaged with
somebody else, saw his old war chum's predicament. With a leap he gained
Luke's side, and down came his cutlass with a sweeping blow on the wrist
of one of the enemy. The Russian dropped his cutlass to the deck and
staggered back, his hand almost severed from his arm. Then Luke slashed
the other Russian across the cheek, and both of the enemy hurried back
behind the other fighters.

"Good fer you, Larry!" panted Luke, when he could speak. "They had me
about cornered!"

"These fellows certainly know how to put up a stiff fight."

"You're wounded yourself. Better go below."

"No, I'm going to see it out. Why don't you go down yourself?"

"It ain't in me, thet's why," answered the old Yankee gunner.

Again came a fierce onslaught from the Russians. But the Japanese now
had another rifle gun in place, and sharpshooters were crowding the
fighting tops. The latter picked off the Russian officers, and this
created a momentary confusion. Then came a sudden order to unlock the
two ships and this was done.

"The Russian ship is going down!" was the yell, and the news proved
true. An explosion below decks had torn a hole in the Russian warship's
bottom and she began to sink rapidly.

The scene was now indescribable.