He managed to pull
him out, and when he had him safe and breathless on shore, he saw
that the boat was nearing the ship, and that Date, torn and wet
and disheveled, with three policemen, was up to his waist in
water, struggling to bring ashore Cockatoo and the mummy case, to
which he clung like a limpet. Hope ran down to give a hand, and
in a few minutes they had the Kanaka ashore, fighting like the
demon he was. Random and De Gayangos joined the breathless
group, and Cockatoo was held in the grasp of two strong men--who
required all their strength to hold him--while Date, warned by
Hope's cry of what was in the case, tore at the lid. It was but
lightly fastened and soon came off. Then those present saw in
the moonlight the dead face of Professor Braddock, who had been
shot through the heart. As they looked at the sight, Cockatoo
broke from those who held him, and, throwing himself on his
master, howled and wept as though his heart would break. At the
same moment there came a derisive whistle from The Firefly, and
they saw the great tramp steamer slowly moving down stream,
increasing her speed with almost every revolution of the screw.
Braddock had been captured, but Hervey had escaped.
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