By this time a party of the ship’s company came up. The second officer was in it; and, as soon as he understood what was going on, he hastened to the scene. He spoke to Oscar, and tried to induce him not to meddle with Dory. The others were not disposed to interfere with such a fellow as the second pilot. Will Orwell was his crony; and he persisted, taking his friend by the arm, and trying to lead him away.
“Don’t talk to me, Will Orwell! You are half a traitor to me,” said Oscar, shaking off his crony.
Without waiting for another word, the rebel leaped upon Dory. An instant later Oscar went over backwards, with the blood spurting from his nose. He sprang to his feet, and renewed the attack. In two minutes more he lay upon the ground, unable to rise.
CHAPTER XIX.
SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED ON SHORE.
Oscar Chester was not killed, or even very seriously injured. The last blow of Dory had been planted in a sensitive place, and he had been stunned by it. His companions gathered around him, lifted him up, and procured some water from the Fouquet Hotel, with which they washed his head. In a few minutes his senses came back to him, and he was able to comprehend the situation.
Dory had been hit several times; but he was a tough youngster, and seemed to be none the worse for the battle. As he viewed the matter, he had simply defended himself, according to the first law of nature. He had done his best beforehand to avoid the fight, and had proposed to talk the matter over in order to ascertain who was to blame.
“That was an awful crack you gave him at the end,” said Fireman Bolingbroke Millweed, joining
Dory, who stood alone on the grass. “I didn’t know that you were such a hard hitter.”