Strogoff had hoped to rouse Burgoyne into a state of fury, and thus find an excuse for using his automatic. He would not have dared to strike the unarmed Englishman but for the fact that there were twenty or more pirates with him.
With a tremendous effort Burgoyne kept himself under control. He had not only himself to consider but his three comrades. In fact, Jasper Minalto was on the point of taking up the cudgels on his officer's behalf, when Alwyn stopped him.
"Afraid, eh?" remarked Strogoff scornfully.
"Not in the least," replied Burgoyne in even tones that surprised himself. "If you would like a set-to, a fight with fists, I'll be happy to oblige you, or anyone else you care to mention."
"Fists, eh? Barbarian2 sport," sneered3 Black Strogoff. Then, swayed by a sudden inspiration, he shouted to one of the onlookers4, a huge, hulking Peruvian.
"Ver' well," he continued. "We will have sport."
"And what happens when I knock out the man?" inquired Burgoyne.
Black Strogoff roared with laughter.
"There is no need to ask that," he replied. "He will not be the one who will be conquered. Are you ready to try?"
"I'd prefer to deal with you," declared Burgoyne pointedly5.
The pirate lieutenant6 ignored the suggestion, and, beckoning7 to the Peruvian to approach, he gave directions to which the latter replied by grinning broadly.
Meanwhile Ramon Porfirio and his henchman Henriques had appeared upon the scene. To them Black Strogoff explained the situation. It rather appealed to them to see a lightly-built Englishman pitted against a seventeen-stone pirate. They, too, had no doubt as to the result, and the contest would amuse the crowd of ruffians. Some of the latter had evidently had some experience of boxing contests in American and British ports, for with the utmost celerity—a marked contrast to their languid movements in their leisure time—they drove in four stout8 posts and stretched the ropes enclosing the ring.
A more inappropriate spot could hardly be found. The ring was staked out on slightly shelving ground in the full glare of the mid-day sun. Crowding up to the posts was a steadily9 increasing swarm10 of pirates, those living on the island being augmented11 by the majority of the crew of the Malfilio. Three hundred yards away the prisoners working the crane ceased operations to watch the spectacle of one of their officers pitted against the huge Peruvian.
Burgoyne was still in his shirt sleeves. He did not attempt to emulate12 the example of his opponent, who had stripped to the waist, revealing a powerfully-built frame, huge muscles, and a decided13 excess of fatness. The rest of his garb14 consisted of a pair of blue canvas trousers, with an orange scarf round the waist, and a pair of leather sea-boots.
"I wish I were in your place, sir," whispered Minalto, who had been chosen to act as Alwyn's second. "I'd just love tu dust that chap. He's heavy on his pins tu be sure. Keep him on the move, sir, until he tires like, an' then go for his heart."
Burgoyne nodded. He was of the same opinion himself as to the tactical programme. He realized that once the Peruvian got in a direct blow he would be whirled over the ropes like a feather.
"Two minute rounds, I suppose," inquired Alwyn.
"Certainly not," replied Black Strogoff. "A fight to a finish. Why end the fight in two minutes?"
Burgoyne explained the nature of the word "rounds", which was a stranger to the pirate lieutenant's otherwise expansive knowledge of English. But Strogoff was obdurate15. To his mind the act of stopping two combatants in the heat of the fight was simply absurd.
Briskly vaulting16 over the ropes, Alwyn watched his opponent climb into the ring. There was no signal to commence. Like a charging bull the Peruvian rushed straight at the clean-limbed Englishman.
With a lithe17, natural movement Burgoyne cleared his corner, ducked under the flail-like arm of his opponent, and, seizing the opportunity, he did what he had not intended to do at that stage of the proceedings18. Before the Peruvian could turn, Burgoyne's right fist shot out and dealt the pirate a stinging blow on the left side.
It might have punished an ordinary man, but in this case it merely warned the pirate to be cautious in his movements. The blundering rush was succeeded by a slower yet ponderous19 attack, before which Burgoyne retreated, taking care to keep well away from the ropes. Once during the next minute did Alwyn essay to strike under the arms of his antagonist20.
He certainly got home, but in return received a mighty21 swing of the Peruvian's left that, glancing from his shoulder, gave Burgoyne such a clout22 on the head that for a few seconds everything seemed to be whirling round and round. Yet he had the sense to evade23 the following rush, until through sheer breathlessness the pirate brought up in the centre of the ring.
The brief respite24 cleared the mist from Burgoyne's eyes. In wind he was comparatively fresh. If he could only succeed in playing with the huge pirate for another minute, and avoid another heavy blow, he might be able to take the offensive.
The latter, goaded25 by the action and encouraged by the shouts of his comrades, lurched across the ring, delivering blow after blow, all of which Alwyn avoided with comparative ease. And thus, with no hit recorded, the third minute passed.
By this time the temper of the onlookers changed. They were there to see a close fight with plenty of blood flowing. The spectacle of a big man blindly chasing a smaller and agile26 one round and round the ring did not appeal to them. They yelled to the Peruvian to get to business and pulverize27 the Englishman.
With a loud yell the South American made another frantic28 rush. Even as he waited Burgoyne could not help feeling amused. The shout was so typical of the half-breeds, and so utterly29 foreign to the British boxing-ring. If it were meant to strike terror into Burgoyne's heart the Peruvian never made a greater mistake.
Anticipating a repetition of his opponent's former tactics the half-caste guarded his left side. Quick as lightning Burgoyne slipped under his extended right arm; but even as he did so the Peruvian hacked30 with his leather-booted leg.
Unable to check his rush Alwyn measured his length and more upon the turf. Before he could regain31 his feet the half-caste was upon him, dealing32 windmill-like blows upon his head and shoulders, while the crowd of pirates yelled with enthusiasm. The protesting voices of Jasper Minalto and his companions were drowned in the torrent33 of applause. Not content with using his fists, the Peruvian was again bringing his heavy boots into play.
Regardless of the consequences, Minalto was in the act of leaping over the rope when he stopped in sheer wonderment, for the white and almost motionless, prostrate34 figure had sprung into activity.
It was the Peruvian's cowardly performance with his boots that gave Burgoyne his chance. In his blind fury the half-caste slipped. Before he could recover his balance Alwyn was up and striking hard. The Peruvian's enormous hand was gripping his neck, but Burgoyne was jabbing lightning-like punches right over the fellow's heart. Like the rattle35 of a pneumatic hammer the Englishman's right fist pummelled his opponent's ribs36, until the half-caste's clutch relaxed. Breaking away, Burgoyne summoned his remaining energies and delivered a terrific straight left full on the point of the pirate's jaw37. The force of the blow lifted the huge bulk completely off the ground. Staggering and already unconscious, he toppled backward over the ropes into the midst of the crowd of spectators.
Jasper Minalto was just in time to catch Alwyn in his arms. Without any attempt being made to stop him the Scilly Islander carried off the insensible victor to the compound, and placed him in his hut.
Three hours later Burgoyne recovered consciousness. His head and face had come off comparatively lightly, but his ribs were black and blue, his left shoulder was laid open almost to the bone, while his shins were raw through violent contact with the Peruvian's boots.
Burgoyne was alone. The working day had not yet ended. Someone had patched him up. Cautious investigation38 on his part resulted in the knowledge that none of his limbs was broken, because they were not in splints, but he ached in every limb, and his tongue, hot and parched39, seemed too big for his mouth.
"I'm a downright ass," he soliloquized. "Instead of pretending to knuckle40 under and take advantage of what I've seen, I've got myself laid out. Cui bono? Dashed if I know!"
But the fight, purposeless as it appeared to Burgoyne, had its good results. The Peruvian had not only been knocked out, but his eyesight was permanently41 impaired42. That in itself was nothing to gloat over. When, later on, Alwyn did learn of the extent of the damage he had inflicted43 he felt sorry for the man. It was not his quarrel. He had been practically ordered to fight on Black Strogoff's behalf, and although he was a bad sportsman, judged by British ideas, he had been well punished by being knocked out.
But the matter did not end there. The luckless Peruvian had been by far and away the best gun-layer of the Malfilio's complement44. He was now useless and could not be replaced by an equally competent man, and consequently Ramon Porfirio was in a towering rage with Black Strogoff for having been the means of depriving him of a most useful man. Henriques sided with his chief. For some time past no love had been lost between the two pirate lieutenants45, and now the rift46 threatened to develop into an impassable abyss.
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1
clenched
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| v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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2
barbarian
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| n.野蛮人；adj.野蛮(人)的；未开化的 | |
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3
sneered
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| 讥笑，冷笑( sneer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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onlookers
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| n.旁观者，观看者( onlooker的名词复数 ) | |
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pointedly
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| adv.尖地，明显地 | |
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6
lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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7
beckoning
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| adj.引诱人的，令人心动的v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的现在分词 ) | |
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9
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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10
swarm
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| n.(昆虫)等一大群；vi.成群飞舞；蜂拥而入 | |
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11
Augmented
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| adj.增音的 动词augment的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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12
emulate
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| v.努力赶上或超越，与…竞争；效仿 | |
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13
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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garb
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| n.服装，装束 | |
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obdurate
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| adj.固执的，顽固的 | |
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16
vaulting
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| n.（天花板或屋顶的）拱形结构 | |
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17
lithe
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| adj.(指人、身体)柔软的，易弯的 | |
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18
proceedings
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| n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报 | |
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19
ponderous
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| adj.沉重的，笨重的，(文章)冗长的 | |
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20
antagonist
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| n.敌人，对抗者，对手 | |
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21
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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22
clout
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| n.用手猛击；权力，影响力 | |
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23
evade
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| vt.逃避，回避；避开，躲避 | |
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24
respite
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| n.休息，中止，暂缓 | |
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25
goaded
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| v.刺激( goad的过去式和过去分词 )；激励；（用尖棒）驱赶；驱使（或怂恿、刺激）某人 | |
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26
agile
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| adj.敏捷的，灵活的 | |
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pulverize
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| v.研磨成粉；摧毁 | |
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28
frantic
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| adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的 | |
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29
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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30
hacked
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| 生气 | |
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31
regain
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| vt.重新获得，收复，恢复 | |
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32
dealing
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| n.经商方法，待人态度 | |
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33
torrent
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| n.激流，洪流；爆发，(话语等的)连发 | |
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34
prostrate
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| v.拜倒，平卧，衰竭；adj.拜倒的，平卧的，衰竭的 | |
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35
rattle
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| v.飞奔，碰响；激怒；n.碰撞声；拨浪鼓 | |
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36
ribs
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| n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹 | |
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37
jaw
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| n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训 | |
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38
investigation
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| n.调查，调查研究 | |
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39
parched
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| adj.焦干的；极渴的；v.（使）焦干 | |
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40
knuckle
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| n.指节；vi.开始努力工作；屈服，认输 | |
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41
permanently
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| adv.永恒地，永久地，固定不变地 | |
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42
impaired
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| adj.受损的；出毛病的；有（身体或智力）缺陷的v.损害，削弱( impair的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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43
inflicted
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| 把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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44
complement
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| n.补足物，船上的定员；补语；vt.补充，补足 | |
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45
lieutenants
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| n.陆军中尉( lieutenant的名词复数 )；副职官员；空军；仅低于…官阶的官员 | |
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46
rift
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| n.裂口，隙缝，切口；v.裂开，割开，渗入 | |
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