for some salt meat, which he wished to soak in the boiling water. When he returned, he found André Vasling in his place, cooking some pieces of grease in a basin.
"I was there before you," said Penellan roughly; "why have you taken my place?"
"For the same reason that you claim it," returned Vasling: "because I want to cook my supper."
"You will take that off at once, or we shall see!"
"We shall see nothing," said Vasling; "my supper shall be cooked in spite of you."
"You shall not eat it, then," cried Penellan, rushing upon Vasling, who seized his cutlass, crying, "Help, Norwegians! Help, Aupic!"
These, in the twinkling of an eye, sprang to their feet, armed with pistols and daggers. The crisis had come.
Penellan precipitated himself upon Vasling, to whom, no doubt, was confided the task to fight him alone; for his accomplices rushed to the beds where lay Misonne, Turquiette, and Nouquet. The latter, ill and defenceless, was delivered over to Herming's ferocity. The carpenter seized a hatchet, and, leaving his berth, hurried up to encounter Aupic. Turquiette and Jocki, the Norwegian, struggled fiercely. Gervique and Gradlin, suffering horribly, were not even conscious of what was passing around them.
Nouquet soon received a stab in the side, and Herming turned to Penellan, who was fighting desperately. André Vasling had seized him round the body.
At the beginning of the affray the basin had been upset on the stove, and the grease running over the burning coals, impregnated the atmosphere with its odor. Marie rose with cries of despair, and hurried to the bed of old Jean Cornbutte.
Vasling, less strong than Penellan, soon perceived that the latter was getting the better of him. They were too close together to make use of their weapons. The mate, seeing Herming, cried out, "Help, Herming!"
"Help, Misonne!" shouted Penellan, in his turn.
But Misonne was rolling on the ground with Aupic, who was trying to stab him with his cutlass. The carpenter's hatchet was of little use to him, for he could not wield it, and it was with the greatest difficulty that he parried the lunges which Aupic made with his knife.
