The Foot of Time: A Novel of Australia and the South Seas: (1933)

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154 THE FOOT OF TIME
killed, if he did not take the native girl; and all
the time one half of him wanted nothing better.
The idea infuriated him. The natives shouldn't have
it all their own way. He would threaten them—
they were under French rule—this was an age of
civilisation. If they did not give Brian up at once
they would suffer for it. He went outside to interview
the chief, but six stalwarts barred his passage.
This was too much for Bruce. He made one wild
rush at the whole six of them. There they stood,
powerful enough, but enjoying a huge joke—forcing
a reluctant bridegroom to his bride. Bruce
noticed their vivid teeth. He caught the first
of them unexpectedly. The man went down
nursing his jaw. Another fared worse. Bruce
caught him right on the point, putting him out for
several counts. The remaining four took the matter
as a joke. Even the discomforture of their comrades
failed to disturb their good temper. But they
had evidently had their orders, and must give effect
to them. The tallest Tuamontian sprang at Bruce,
clasped his neck with both hands, and had his two
thumbs on the boy's windpipe. The Australian
passed his right arm between those of the native
stretched out there choking him, raised his left,
clasped his hands firmly together, then curled the
fingers of one hand inside those of the other. This
put his left arm over the Tuamontian's right from
the outside. Then bearing down heavily with his
left arm, Bruce pressed up sharply with his right.
The leverage broke the stranglehold. The native
then lunged wildly with his right arm, and Bruce
THE FOOT OF TIME 155
saw at once that the native did not know the very
first thing about boxing or wrestling. It was a
comparatively easy thing to knock aside the blow,
grasp the man's wrist firmly. Bruce then swung
his right hand to his adversary's left shoulder,
stepped forward with his right foot, and placed it
behind the man's right leg. By thus gripping the
native's right arm and pressing across his body with
Bruce's other arm (the right) , the white man bore
him backwards across his right leg, got him off his
balance. The Australian then threw his adversary
heavily—threw him with all his force. The man
fell on his head with sufficient force to split the
skull of the average white man, but to Swinton's
surprise the fellow sprang to his feet, shook himself
like any terrier coming out of the water, and with
a laughing word to the others the whole six of them
made off into the dense bush. The sound of their
ribald laughter came back to the boy as they scurried
off. Evidently an enormous joke. But Bruce
failed to see it.
Swinton strode rapidly across the intervening
space separating his but from that of the chief, but
before he reached it another surprise met him.
Through the foliage of some nearby bush, who
should he espy but Brian Pinkerton, busy at his
island love-making! He gave a shout, and Brian left
Tamli and came running towards him.
"They're making a fool of you, old bean," he
began.
"Making a fool of me? I like that! What about