H. Bedford-Jones

“ The two reeled away from the rail, Boris trying to catch Venable off balance and thrust him down the ladder, but Venable bore forward again, back-heeled his opponent, and the grappled men shot headfirst into the wheelhouse. Boris landed on top. They lay there almost motionless. Venable had been partially stunned by the fall, and was unable to prevent the Russian getting a grip on his throat. His own hands, reddened with hot blood, drew Boris down close to him yet could not quell the fierce grip that strangled the life in his heart. ”

“ Abe Gerin flung out at Kryalpin, a passionate heartbreak in his eyes.
“You devil! You’re shutting those men down there—”
Kryalpin reached out, unexpectedly, suddenly, with the swiftness of light. His hands clutched Gerin about the throat and lifted the lesser man. He shook Gerin bodily—and then the hand of Venable clamped down on his wrist.
“Stop that,” said Venable. His grip twisted into the flesh of Boris, whose hands loosened and relaxed. Abe Gerin, his crutch fallen, reeled to the rail and leaned there, his fingers searching at his throat as he coughed. ”

“ The one man aboard the schooner was working at the gun forward—running from gun to helm, unable to turn the schooner so that the gun could bear upon the sinking steamer. But when the two ships came rail to rail, and the lowered bows of the Kum Chao ground into the quarter of the schooner and slowly crept forward along her rail, both ships staggering and crunching in the seas—then the one man on the schooner began to fire. ”