Fight came to an end, and this time is obvious not in favor of Gatlinga.
Sleyton, appear, was inexhaustible. He derived strength from some hidden stocks of energy and struck blows with indestructible persistence now. At Gatlinga swam away the left eye from enormous bruise, from a mouth there was blood. Several times it, appear, dead fell to the ground, but the extraordinary tension of will rose again to receive new blow. Sleytonista already triumphed a victory a roar and a rumble.
But suddenly Gatling, having collected the strength, snatched on Sleyton and struck it such blow in a jaw that Sleyton, having thrown the head, failed on a floor. However, having risen hardly, he began to recede, moving back, to a ship board, wishing to wait for several seconds to recover the breath and again to take the offensive. But Gatling as the maniac, with the mad, widely opened right eye, pressed it to a board and here struck such awful blow in a nose bridge that Sleyton, having shaken in air legs, departed overboard.
Shouts of horror and delight, derisive exclamations, laughter, applause – everything mixed up in wild cacophony.
Sleytonista hastily caught the prostrate deity from green seaweed…
When it appeared on the deck, new explosion of shouts and laughter met him. All wet, entangled by seaweed, he resembled the drowned man who stayed kind days in water. His face swelled up and was blood-stained. Despite it, Sleyton tried to keep advantage.
The unsteady gait he approached Gatlingu and gave it a hand:
– You won! It is yours!
The answer of Gatlinga surprised all attendees:
– No, it not mine. I do not wish to impose myself violently at all and to become her husband only because successfully gave blow in your nose bridge!
The crowd calmed down, waiting, what will be farther. Sleyton flushed:
– Devil take it! Whether it will come to an end sometime? There is enough! Ms. Kingman! As the governor Ostrova, I suggest you to make a choice immediately, or I will order to cast lots!
– Lot! Lot!. – the crowd cried.
Ms. Kingman shuddered, unsteadily approached Gatlingu and offered to him a hand.
– At last – with a vinegary smile Sleyton told and approached to congratulate it.
– Ms. Kingman – whispered to her on an ear of Gatling – you are absolutely free, and I do not raise any claim to you. I do not dare to think that you linked life with destiny… the criminal – he added even more quietly.
Part third
Chapter 12
PLOT
– Damned boards as they creak! Do not stumble, Mr. Gatling! Give me your hand. I know the road backwards. Two decades wander I about “streets” of this island. Time as runs!. Twenty years!
And Gatling heard as Ternip heaved a deep sigh.
There was a dead of night. Stars were not visible. Second day will tighten all Island a continuous veil of fog.
It was heard as in water fish lapped, sometimes someone as if sighed. Somewhere deeply in a hold the rat in search of grain scraped. Travelers slowly, gropingly, made the way forward. From time some groan reached time: “kuu-va”, “kuu-va”, the bearing a faint resemblance shout of an eagle owl.
– What is it? – it is disturbing asked Gatling.
Ternip heaved a deep sigh again:
– The devil only knows that! Nobody knows who it cries and groans at night. Ours say that souls of the dead go in a gloom and groan. I do not trust this nonsense. And others assure that this some marine animal who is found in local places.
The Gatling remembered night visit of the deck of their steamship some being who is obviously living in the sea abyss.
– Everything can be! – Ternip answered. – But it is not excluded that it and seemed to you. In these waters harmful fog turns the head.
– But traces on the deck? All of us saw them!
– Can be… can be… Let’s sit down we will have a rest, Mr. Gatling. Short wind is damned!.
And they took seat on the deck of the old steamship.
– Now it is close. One brig, two frigates and one more wheel пароходик, and we at the purpose…
– You were on this submarine?
– Happened more than once and spoke with the German sailor who swam on it. He only last year died of a scurvy. I am not an expert, but the sailor assured that all mechanisms of the boat in serviceability and it still can be put in order.
– Whether Sleyton knows about it?
– I think what knows. Whether with this boat he also wanted to transport you to the Azores?
– But why then he did not want to use it to get out of these godforsaken places?
– At us tell each other to an ear that erq there, on the continent, is waited long ago by the gallows. Also leaves that the Island of the Lost Ships – the place which is most suitable for it: here nobody will find. Yes I on wings am ready to depart from here! Sleyton is a despot and the rude fellow. It formenno enslaved us. What it on an old age of years to receive zubotychina and to eat one fish! And I so like to eat… oh as I love!. Though once still to have dinner properly!.
And they became silent, everyone thinking of the.
After Gatling was won by Sleytona, “publicly dishonored it” as spoke on the Island, and pulled out at it from hands of Ms. Kingman, Gatling was “fateful” and knew it. Sleyton waited only for a case; he wanted to destroy so the rival that most to stand aside and not to arm even more against itself (himself) Ms. Kingman. The Gatling could save one flight. But how to run from here? Neither the raft, nor the boat could move in this green porridge of seaweed. Ternip gave it a thought of flight on the German submarine.
In the most strict secret escape was prepared.
Participated in a plot, except Gatlinga and Ternip, Ms. Kingman, Simpkins, Ternip’s wife and three sailors who had some concept about work with cars. It was necessary to put the boat in order only.
– Well? We go!
– Oh, we go! – obediently Ternip answered, and they started on on a way.
The boat really appeared in a relative order.
Something rusted, something demanded repair. But all bodies of the mechanism were whole. There was even a radiotelegraphic device.
Work on repair began. It went slowly. With the greatest precautions it was necessary to make the way at night in the roundabout ways by “residence” where there were guards and to work till the dawn that for an hour till the dawn to be already on the place.
Little by little the boat was put in order and filled with provisions: canned food, bread and wine. But in two days prior to the assumed departure there was one unpleasant surprise. Having been fond of work, Gatling was late a little. When it came back with two sailors, to them islanders from Sleyton’s party who left at dawn met to catch fish. They suspiciously examined Gatlinga and passed by… It was not necessary to doubt that Sleyton learns about this suspicious night walk of Gatlinga in the company of two sailors today and will take measures…
It was necessary to work immediately.
And Gatling disposed to notify now participants of escape that they armed (it was provided) and went to the submarine. The island will wake up not earlier