Here, against the
glare on the Pacific, it challenged all doom, broad and unashamed.
I need hardly tell you that Grimalson, at the opening of this
harangue, had dropped his fishing-line, clutched his gaff, and
whirled about furiously. But he faced three determined men, and
Webster's loose hand played with a revolver. Twice or thrice
Grimalson essayed to interrupt; but Jarvis was a man with a prepared
speech: and, backed by Webster's free hand, he delivered it straight
out at me to the last word over Grimalson's shoulder.
"Then, as he concluded, there ensued the beastliest scene of all.
Grimalson, from facing these three slow, determined men, took a swift
turn right about and struck at me with the gaff. They clutched at
him and he faced about again, dropping the gaff, springing to the
thwart and hitting right and left. Webster sprang also to the thwart
and landed him a stunner on the point of the jaw which sent him
overboard from the rocking boat.
"Now Webster was, in ordinary life, a religious man, and a Methodist.
At sight of what he had done he ran to the boat's side, making
ineffectual grabs to recover the body, which floated for a moment or
two, with the senseless hands afloat or spread on the waters, as if
in ghastly benediction.
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