Gordon Young

“ The half dozen Portuguese were excitedly firing at the blacks, a party of whom, scenting trouble, began it. They defiantly ran away and refused orders. They had learned that Hurricane Williams was on the island.
So potent was his name that even cannibals who had never seen a white man knew of him. Stories filter and spread through the islands' bush. The blacks probably thought he had come to set them loose, and a party impatiently precipitated their freedom by loosening themselves. Others joined. The blacks were in rebellion. ”

“ I have sometimes suspected Williams of humor, though he never laughed. In few words and short sentences, a bit ambiguous, he said no. It would be dangerous for them to meet the Germans. They should come with him. He would watch over them. The Germans were likely to be waspishly angry.
Davenant, very erect, and Carp Taylor, shambling dejectedly, moved along the landing and up toward the trees, where the little party watched the coming of six times their number.
The Germans landed. To attack they would have to rush across some three hundred yards of open ground. ”

“ Carp Taylor jumped his back, pinning his arms, at the same time bellowing for help. He needed it.
The man with the white flag took a moment too long to reverse his rifle and lift it as a club; for before he struck, Carp Taylor lay twisting, awkward even in death, on the sand with a knife buried in his belly. Williams crouched, awaiting the fall of the blow.
The blow did not fall. The man stumbled backward, frantically reversing his rifle again and getting under the sanctuary of his white flag.
I saw Williams's arm go out in a gesture. He was sending the man back to the Germans on the beach. ”

“ Just then Carp Taylor had stepped up and called Hurricane Williams Mr. Williams.
What Taylor was trying to do without giving offense was to point out that Williams did not have even the remotest of a fighting chance. About all he succeeded in doing, in his watchfulness against giving offense, was to protest that he would do anything on earth to help Williams. His idea of helping was to stay there and intercede with the Germans.
“And you?”
Williams abruptly drove the question at Davenant.
Davenant's forehead swiftly became red; and I suppose his face flushed. ”

“ Five men shuffled off, their faces almost between their shoulders, staring in dull fear—as such stupid fellows might stare at the devil who cast them away, not thinking they were worth the coal it would take to make them squirm ”

“ Off to the right the blacks, their yells mingled with the howls of dogs that persisted in threatening the savages, must have caused Captain Lumholtz, whose dumpy figure could be plainly seen—Red Shaylor was with him—to wonder if a host of wild men could not be moved against him. ”

“ The Germans, though they intended to do something all right, were still undecided. All the time in the world was theirs. Williams was cut off from the sea.
Officers were talking with Portuguese and pointing this way and that. Nobody was to slip through their fingers at Dakaru.
Williams had looked about two or three times before he asked where Davenant had gone.
Raikes spoke up, saying he had seen Davenant just edging off a while before toward the house. Williams looked toward the beach, then steadily toward the house. ”