"
He turned his head to me and said in an undertone, "Be ready with
that pop-gun for trouble. An' don't hesitate. Slap it into 'em--the
swine that think they can put as raw a deal as this over on us."
It was Buckwheat who made the first move; but so tentative was it
that it got no farther than a tensing of the legs and a sway forward
of the shoulders. Nevertheless it was sufficient to start Herman
Lunkenheimer, who thrust out his foot and began confidently to walk
aft. Kid Twist gained him in a single spring, and Kid Twist, his
wrist under the German's throat from behind; his knee pressed into
the German's back, bent the man backward and held him. Even as the
rifle came to my shoulder, the hound Bombini drew his knife directly
beneath Kid Twist's wrist across the up-stretched throat of the man.
It was at this instant that I heard Mr. Pike's "Plug him!" and pulled
the trigger; and of all ungodly things the bullet missed and caught
the Faun, who staggered back, sat down on the hatch, and began to
cough. And even as he coughed he still strained with pain-eloquent
eyes to try to understand.
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