Gascoyne, The Sandal Wood Trader | Page 7

He was
humane by nature; and, in addition to this, he had been trained under
the influence of that Book which teaches us that the most philosophical,
because the most effective, method of procedure in this world is to
"overcome evil with good."
"So you scoundrel," said Henry, placing his knee on Keona's chest, and
compressing his throat with his left hand, while with his right he drew
forth a long glittering knife, and raised it in the air,--"so you are not
satisfied with what I gave you the last time we met, but you must need
take the trouble to cross my path a second time, and get a taste of cold
steel, must you?"
Although Keona could speak no English, he understood it sufficiently
to appreciate the drift of the youth's words, even though he had failed to
comprehend the meaning of the angry frown and the glittering knife.
But, however much, he might have wished to reply to the question,

Henry took care to render the attempt impossible, by compressing his
windpipe until he became blue in the face, and then black. At the same
time, he let the sharp point of his knife touch the skin just over the
region of the heart.
Having thus convinced his vanquished foe that death was at the door,
he suddenly relaxed his iron grip, arose, sheathed his knife, and bade
the savage get up. The miserable creature did so, with some difficulty,
just as the captain and his men arrived on the scene.
"Well met, Henry," cried the former, extending his hand to the youth;
"had I been a moment later, my lad, I fear that your life's blood would
have been on the sea-shore."
"Then it was you who fired the shot, Captain Gascoyne? This is the
second time I have to thank you for saving my life," said the young
man, returning the grasp of the captain's hand.
"Truly, it is but a small matter to have to thank me for. Doubtless, if my
stout man John Bumpus had carried the carbine, he would have done
you as good service. And methinks, Henry, that you would have
preferred to owe your life to either of my men rather than to me, if I
may judge by your looks."
"You should not judge by looks, captain," replied the youth
quickly,--"especially the looks of a man who has just had a
hand-to-hand tussle with a savage. But, to tell the plain truth, Captain
Gascoyne, I would indeed rather have had to thank your worthy man
John Bumpus than yourself for coming to my aid; for although I owe
you no grudge, and do not count you an enemy, I had rather see your
back than your face; and you know the reason why."
"You give me credit, boy, for more knowledge than I possess," replied
Gascoyne, while an angry frown gathered for a moment on his brow,
but passed away almost as quickly as it came. "I know not the cause of
your unreasonable dislike to one who has never done you an injury."
"Never done me an injury!" cried Henry, starting and turning with a

look of passion on his companion; then, checking himself by a strong
effort, he added, in a milder tone, "But a truce to such talk; and I ask
your forgiveness for my sharp words just after your rendering me such
good service in the hour of need. You and I differ in our notions on one
or two points--that is all; there is no need for quarreling. See, here is a
note from my mother, who sent me to the bay to meet you."
During this colloquy, Dick and Bumpus had mounted guard over the
wounded savage, just out of ear-shot of their captain.
Neither of the sailors ventured to hold their prisoner, because they
deemed it an unmanly advantage to take of one who was so completely
(as they imagined) in their power. They kept a watchful eye on him,
however; and while they affected an easy indifference of attitude, held
themselves in readiness to pounce upon him if he should attempt to
escape. But nothing seemed farther from the mind of Keona than such
an attempt. He appeared to be thoroughly exhausted by his recent
struggle and loss of blood, and his body was bent as if he were about to
sink down to the ground. There was, however, a peculiar glance in his
dark eyes that induced John Bumpus to be more on his guard than
appearances seemed to warrant.
While Gascoyne was reading the letter to which we have referred,
Keona suddenly placed his left leg behind surly Dick, and, with his
unwounded fist, hit that morose individual such a tremendous
back-handed blow on the nose that he instantly measured his