Edgar Rice Burroughs

Tarzan of the Apes Edgar Rice Burroughs

Nor did they have long to wait, for the next morning as Clayton was emerging on deck forhis accustomed walk before breakfast, a shot rang out, and then another, and another. The sight which met his eyes confirmed his worst fears. Facing the little knot of officers wasthe entire motley crew of the Fuwalda, and at their head stood Black Michael. At the first volley from the officers the men ran for shelter, and from points of vantagebehind masts, wheel-house and cabin they returned the fire of the five men who represented thehated authority of the ship. Two of their number had gone down before the captain's revolver. They lay where they hadfallen between the combatants. But then the first mate lunged forward upon his face, and at a cryof command from Black Michael the mutineers charged the remaining four. The crew had beenable to muster but six firearms, so most of them were armed with boat hooks, axes, hatchets andcrowbars. The captain had emptied his revolver and was reloading as the charge was made. The secondmate's gun had jammed, and so there were but two weapons opposed to the mutineers as theybore down upon the officers, who now started to give back before the infuriated rush of theirmen. Both sides were cursing and swearing in a frightful manner, which, together with the reportsof the firearms and the screams and groans of the wounded, turned the deck of the Fuwalda tothe likeness of a madhouse. Before the officers had taken a dozen backward steps the men were upon them. An ax in thehands of a burly Negro cleft the captain from forehead to chin, and an instant later the otherswere down: dead or wounded from dozens of blows and bullet wounds. Short and grisly had been the work of the mutineers of the Fuwalda, and through it all JohnClayton had stood leaning carelessly beside the companionway puffing meditatively upon hispipe as though he had been but watching an indifferent cricket match. As the last officer went down he thought it was time that he returned to his wife lest somemembers of the crew find her alone below. Though outwardly calm and indifferent, Clayton was inwardly apprehensive and wrought up, for he feared for his wife's safety at the hands of these ignorant, half-brutes into whose hands fatehad so remorselessly thrown them. As he turned to descend the ladder he was surprised to see his wife standing on the stepsalmost at his side