gathering together in the waist, full of interest and
expectancy at witnessing such an unwonted treat as a free fight between
their officers. But, the first-mate's brave words, mouth them out as he
did with great vehemence and force of expression, did not frighten the
stalwart Dane, self-possessed and cool to the last, one whit.

No, not a bit of it.

Quietly putting himself into an easy position of defence, with his right
arm guarding his face and body, Jan Steenbock, throwing out his left
fist with a rapidity of movement quite unexpected in one of his slow,
methodical demeanour, caught the blustering Yankee, as he advanced on
him with hostile thoughts intent, full butt between the eyes, the blow
being delivered straight from the shoulder and having sufficient
momentum to have felled an ox.

At all events, it was enough for Mr Flinders.

Whack!

It resounded through the ship; and, uttering a half-stifled cry, the
mate measured his length along the deck, the back of his head knocking
against the planks with a sound that seemed to be the echo of the blow
that brought him low, though softer and more like a thud--tempered and
toned down, no doubt, by the subduing effect of distance!

This second assault on his thick skull, however, instead of stunning
him, as might have been imagined, appeared to bring the mate back to
consciousness, and roused him indeed to further action; for, scrambling
up from his recumbent position, with his face showing unmistakable marks
of the fray already, and his eyes not glaring quite so much, for they
were beginning to close up, he got on his feet again, and squared up to
Jan Steenbock, with his arms swinging round like those of a windmill.

He might just as well have tried to batter down a stone wall, under the
circumstances, as endeavour to break down the other's guard by any such
feeble attempt, although both were pretty well matched as to size and
strength.

Jan paid no attention to his roundabout and random onslaught, fending
off his ill-directed blows easily enough with his right arm, which was
well balanced, a little forward across his chest, protecting him from
every effort of his enemy.

He just played with him for a minute, during which the Yankee mate,
frothing with fury and uttering all sorts of terrible threats, that were
as powerless to hurt Jan as his pointless attack, danced round his
watchful antagonist like a pea on a hot griddle; and then, the Dane,
tired at lengt