assailants sprawling. Then he struck out once more, hitting a second Russian on the nose. “Knock him down!” spluttered that individual, staggering back “Knock him down! Hit him with a club.” By this time two others of the stevedore gang were at hand. One had a club and he made a wicked pass for the young American’s head. Fortunately[Pg 60] Gilbert saw the move, and dodged just in time, so that the end of the stick merely grazed his shoulder. [Pg 60] The fight was now growing hot, and Gilbert backed up against a wall, hoping by this means to keep his assailants in front of him. But now all five of the Russians came at him, and he felt that sooner or later he must become then victim. “Help! help!” he cried. “Thieves! help!” “Be quiet!” growled one of the Russians. “Be quiet!” “Hit him, Michael! Hit him, before he alarms the whole neighborhood!” put in another. The fellow called Michael advanced to do as bidden. Gilbert warded off the blow once more, and then sought to wrench the stick from the stevedore’s grasp. In another instant the other Russians leaped in, and down went the young American once more, with all his enemies on top of him. [Pg 61] [Pg 61] CHAPTER VII AMONG JAPANESE FRIENDS AMONG JAPANESE FRIENDS For the moment it looked as if Gilbert would receive the worst of the struggle. It was true that the Russian stevedores were more than half intoxicated, but they were five to one, and now they had Gilbert flat on his back, and were both kicking and cuffing him as hard as they could. But at this critical moment an interruption came which was as welcome to the young American as it was unexpected. From a cellar door a short distance away there issued half a dozen Japanese and two Chinese, all armed with stout sticks. Looking up and down the street, to make certain that the coast was otherwise clear, they advanced noiselessly and attacked the
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