He swore, as he alighted heavily on his heels, that he would never,
never any more associate with any fool that "hadn't savee enough to know
his knee from his elbow." He managed by his thumping to scare the
last remnant of wits out of Jimmy. We could hear the object of our
exasperated solicitude darting to and fro under the planks. He had
cracked his voice at last, and could only squeak miserably. His back
or else his head rubbed the planks, now here, now there, in a puzzling
manner. He squeaked as he dodged the invisible blows. It was more
heartrending even than his yells. Suddenly Archie produced a crowbar. He
had kept it back; also a small hatchet. We howled with satisfaction.
He struck a mighty blow and small chips flew at our eyes. The boatswain
above shouted:--"Look out! Look out there. Don't kill the man. Easy does
it!" Wamibo, maddened with excitement, hung head down and insanely urged
us:--"Hoo! Strook'im! Hoo! Hoo!" We were afraid he would fall in and
kill one of us and, hurriedly, we entreated the boatswain to "shove
the blamed Finn overboard." Then, all together, we yelled down at the
planks:--"Stand from under! Get forward," and listened.
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