erturned, making a racket as the combatants
stumbled around over and among them that would have aroused all hands
had they been but normally asleep.

As it was, there was no interruption, and the two battled on in the
darkness to an end. It came soon. Forsythe suddenly released his clasp
on Denman's wrist and gripped his throat, then as suddenly he brought
his right hand up, and Denman felt the pressure of his thumb on his
right eyeball. He was being choked and gouged; and, strangely enough, in
this exigency there came to him no thought of the trick by which he had
mastered Jenkins. But instead, he mustered his strength, pushed Forsythe
from him, and struck out blindly.

It was a lucky blow, for his eyes were filled with lights of various
hue, and he could not see; yet his fist caught Forsythe on the chin, and
Denman heard him crash back over the upturned table.

Forsythe uttered no sound, and when the light had gone out of his eyes,
Denman groped for him, and found him, just beginning to move. He groaned
and sat up.

CHAPTER XIII

"No, you don't," said Denman, grimly. "Fair play is wasted on you, so
back you go to the Land of Nod."

He drew back his right fist, and again sent it crashing on the chin of
his victim, whom he could just see in the starlight from the companion,
and Forsythe rolled back.

Like Jenkins, he had arrayed himself in an officer's uniform, and there
was no convenient neckerchief with which to bind him; but Denman took
his own, and securely tied his hands behind his back, and with another
string tie from his room tied his ankles together. Then only did he
think of Florrie, and called to her. She answered hysterically.

"It's all right, Florrie girl," he said. "It was Forsythe, but I've
knocked him silly and have him tied hand and foot. Go to sleep now."

"I can't go to sleep, Billie," she wailed. "I can't. Don't leave me
alone any more."

"I must, Florrie," he answered. "I'm going on deck to get them all. I'll
never have a better chance. Keep quiet and don't come out, no matter
what you hear."

"But come back soon, Billie," she pleaded.

"I will, soon as I can. But stay quiet in there until I do."

He stole softly up the stairs and looked forward. The stars illuminated
the deck sufficiently for him to see the prostrate forms scattered
about, but not enough for him to distinguish one from another until he
had crept close. The big machinist, Sampson, he found nearest to the
companio