"Ow! You're kickin' me! I've got 'im, safe enough. Tackle the big
un."

Bill's ally then started towards the others, his body bent, his
arms flexed yet hanging loosely. He crouched beside the girl,
ignoring her, while she heard the breath wheezing from his lungs;
then silently he leaped. Glenister had hurled a man from him, then
stepped back to avoid the others, when he was seized from behind
and felt the man's arms wrapped about his neck, the sailor's legs
locked about his thighs. Now came the girl's first knowledge of
real fighting. The two spun back and forth so closely entwined as
to be indistinguishable, the others holding off. For what seemed
many minutes they struggled, the young man striving to reach his
adversary, till they crashed against the wall near her and she
heard her champion's breath coughing in his throat at the
tightening grip of the sailor. Fright held her paralyzed, for she
had never seen men thus. A moment and Glenister would be down
beneath their stamping feet--they would kick his life out with
their heavy shoes. At thought of it, the necessity of action smote
her like a blow in the face. Her terror fell away, her shaking
muscles stiffened, and before realizing what she did she had
acted.

The seaman's back was to her. She reached out and gripped him by
the hair, while her fingers, tense as talons, sought his eyes.
Then the first loud sound of the battle arose. The man yelled in
sudden terror; and the others as suddenly fell back. The next
instant she felt a hand upon her shoulder and heard Dextry's
voice.