"
"And I, for another, don't care to give in to a handful of dirty
Chinamen to escape drowning," I answered hotly.
"You'll sink the Reindeer under us all at this rate," he whined.
"And what good that'll do I can't see."
"Every man to his taste," I retorted.
He made no reply, but I could see he was trembling pitifully.
Between the threatening Chinese and the rising water he was beside
himself with fright; and, more than the Chinese and the water, I
feared him and what his fright might impel him to do. I could see
him casting longing glances at the small skiff towing astern, so in
the next calm I hauled the skiff alongside. As I did so his eyes
brightened with hope; but before he could guess my intention, I
stove the frail bottom through with a hand-axe, and the skiff
filled to its gunwales.
"It's sink or float together," I said. "And if you'll give me your
revolver, I'll have the Reindeer bailed out in a jiffy."
"They're too many for us," he whimpered. "We can't fight them
all.
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