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wild animal； he carried the fight to the defenders。 He meant to
make a finish of it this time； and with the edged and bitter
steel。
As the women scurried into the cabin the two lines met； with a
ringing clash of blades； on the deck of the Jasper B。； and the
sparks flew from the stricken metal。 Cleggett strove to engage
Loge hand to hand； and Loge； on his part； attempted to fight his
way to Cleggett； they shouted insults at each other across the
press of battle。 But in affairs of this sort a man must give his
attention to the person directly in front of him； otherwise he is
lost。 As Cleggett cut and thrust and parried； a sudden seizure
overtook him； he moved as if in a dream； he had the eerie feeling
that he had done all this before； sometime； perhaps in a previous
existence； and would do it again。 The clangor of the meeting
swords； the inarticulate shouts and curses； the dance of
struggling men across the deck； the whirling confusion of the
whole fantastic scene beneath the quiet skies； struck upon his
consciousness with that strange phantasmagoric quality which
makes the hurrying unreality of dreams so much more vivid and
more real than anything in waking life。
In the center of Cleggett's line stood the three detectives
shoulder to shoulder。 Their three swords rose and fell as one。
They cut and lunged and guarded with a machine…like regularity；
advancing； giving ground； advancing again； with a rhythmic
unanimity which was baffling to their opponents。
On either flank of the detectives fought one of the gigantic
negroes。 Washington Artillery Lamb； almost at once； had broken
his cutlass； and now he raged in the waist of the Jasper B。 with
a long iron bar in his hand。 Miss Pringle's Jefferson； with his
high cockaded hat still firmly fixed upon his head； laid about
him with a heavy cavalry saber； in his excitement he still held
his harmonica in his mouth and blew blasts upon it as he fought。
The Rev。 Simeon Calthrop； in a loud agitated voice； sang hymns as
he swung his cutlass。 And； among the legs of the combatants；
leapt and snapped Teddy the Pomeranian； biting friend and foe
indiscriminately upon the ankles。
But gradually the weight of superior numbers began to tell。
Farnsworth staggered from the fight with a face covered with
blood which blinded him。 Cap'n Abernethy likewise was bleeding
from a wound in the head； George the Greek and Watson Bard were
hurt； but both fought on。 The crew of the Jasper B。 and their
allies of the Annabel Lee were being slowly forced back towards
the cabin； when there came a sudden and decisive turn in the
fortunes of the fight。
Cleggett； straining to meet Loge； who hung sword to sword with
Wilton Barnstable； saw Giuseppe Jones； deserted by his nurses；
tumbling feebly over the bow of the Jasper B。 in the rear of
Loge's line。 Barelegged； a red blanket fastened about his throat
with a big brass safety pin； a thermometer in one hand and a
medicine bottle in the other； he tottered； crazily and weakly
between Loge and Barnstable； chanting a vers libre poem in a
shrill； insane voice。
Loge； who had extended himself in a vigorous lunge； was struck by
the weight of the young anarchist's body at the crook of the
knees； and came down on the deck at full length； his machete
flying from his hand as he fell。
Cleggett was upon the criminal in an instant； his hand at the
outlaw's throat。 They grappled and rolled upon the deck。 But in
another second Wilton Barnstable and Barton Ward； coming to
Cleggett's assistance； had snapped irons upon the president of
the crime trust； hand and foot。
His overthrow was the signal of his men's defeat。 As he went
down they hesitated and wavered。 The two great negroes； taking
advantage of this hesitation； burst among them with mighty blows
and strange Afro…American oaths； Castor and Pollux in bronze。
With a shout of 〃Banzai！〃 Kuroki rushed forward with his kris；
the other defenders added weight and fury to the rally。 Before
the irons were on the wrists of Loge his men were routed。 They
leaped the rail and made off for their fleet of taxicabs；
flinging away their weapons as they ran。
Loge writhed and twisted and lashed the deck with his legs and
body for a moment； striving even against the bands of steel that
bit into his wrists and ankles。 And then he lay still with his
face against the planks as if in a vast and overwhelming
bitterness of despair。
It had been Cleggett's earlier thought to take the man alive； if
possible； and turn him over to the authorities。 But now that
Loge was taken he burned with the wish for personal combat with
him。 He desired to be the agent of society； and put an end to
Logan Black himself。
Cleggett； as he gazed at the fellow lying prone upon the deck；
could not repress a murmur of dissatisfaction。
〃We never fought it out；〃 he said。
Whether Loge heard him or not； the same thought was evidently
running is his mind。 He lifted his head。 A slow； malignant grin
that showed his yellow canine teeth lifted his upper lip。 He
fixed his eyes on Cleggett with a cold deadliness of hatred and
said：
〃You are lucky。〃
Outwardly Cleggett remained calm； but inwardly he was shaken with
an intensity of passion that matched Loge's own。
〃Lucky？〃 he said quietly。 〃That is as may be。 And if； as I
infer； you desire a settlement of a more personal nature than the
law recognizes； it is still not too late to accommodate you。〃
〃Desire！〃 cried Loge； with a movement of his manacled hands。 〃I
would go to Hell happy if I sent you ahead of me！〃
〃Very well；〃 said Cleggett。 〃Since you have challenged me I will
fight you。 I will do you that honor。〃
Loge was about to answer when Wilton Barnstable broke in：
〃Mr。 Cleggett；〃 he said； 〃I scarcely understand you。 Are you
consenting to fight this man？〃
〃Certainly；〃 said Cleggett。 〃He has challenged me。〃
〃A duel？〃 said Wilton Barnstable in astonishment。
〃A duel。〃
〃But that is impossible。 His life is forfeit to the law。 I
hope； before the year is out； to send him to the electric chair。
Under the circumstances； a duel is an absurdity。〃
〃An absurdity？〃 Cleggett； with his hands on his hips； and a
little dancing light in his eyes； faced the great detective
squarely。 〃You permit yourself very peculiar expressions； Mr。
Barnstable！〃
〃I beg your pardon；〃 said Wilton Barnstable。 〃I withdraw
'absurdity。' But you must see yourself； Mr。 Cleggett； that a
duel is useless； if nothing else。 The man is our prisoner。 He
belongs to the law。〃
Loge had struggled to a sitting posture； his back against the
port bulwark； and was listening with an odd look on his face。
〃The law？〃 said Cleggett。 〃I suppose； in one sense； that is
true。 But the matter has its personal element as well。〃
〃I must insist；〃 said Wilton Barnstable； 〃that Logan Black is my
prisoner。〃
Cleggett