and swayed here and there in a way
that completely baffled his powerful adversary.

All this took a very short time, but as I watched I was able to see that
Gunson seemed to grow cooler as the struggle went on, while his opponent
became more enraged.

The excitement was now intense, and I felt my heart beat heavily as I
momentarily expected to see my defender dashed down insensible, while a
feeling of rage at my own helplessness made my position more painful.
For it was this: I could do nothing, and no man present made the
slightest movement either to help or separate the combatants. Then,
too, I felt that it was my fault for behaving as I did, yet I could
hardly feel regret for my interference.

And while thoughts like these coursed rapidly through my mind, I too was
watching the struggling pair, who swayed here and there, and once struck
so violently against the bulwark that I gave a sudden gasp as I expected
that they would both go overboard together. But no; they struggled back
again to the middle of the deck, Gunson seeming quite helpless, and
offering scarcely any resistance, save when his opponent lifted or tried
to throw him, when he suddenly became quick as light almost in his
effort to recover himself. And all the while an excited murmur went on
among those crowded together to see the weaker fall. There was no doubt
as to which it would be, and one of my great dreads was lest Gunson
should not only be beaten but seriously hurt.

At last the struggle seemed to be coming to an end. The big fellow
swung my champion round and round, and lifted him again and again, just
as he seemed to please, but could never unloosen the tight grip of
Gunson's hands.

"Now, Gully lad," cried the second man, "down with him."

These words seemed to act as a spur to the wrestler, and I saw his face
of a deep angry red as he put all his force now into a final effort to
crush the active man who clung so tenaciously to him. They had
struggled now so far aft that another step would have brought them in
contact with the man at the wheel; but Gunson gave himself a wrench,
swung round, and as he reversed his position the big Englishman forced
him a little backward, bearing right over him as it seemed to me; while
the next moment, to my intense astonishment, I saw Gunson now lift the
great fellow from the deck and literally throw him over his shoulder, to
come down on the planks with quite a crash. There was a curious cry of
as