Спрут: Калифорнийская история
Chapter V.
Thefightwasfourtoone—fourmenwithlawontheirside,toonewoundedfreebooter,half-starved,exhaustedbydaysandnightsofpursuit,worndownwithlossofsleep,thirst,privation,andthegrinding,nerve-rackingconsciousnessofanever-presentperil.
Theyswarmeduponhimfromallsides,grippingathislegs,athisarms,histhroat,hishead,striking,clutching,kicking,fallingtotheground,rollingoverandover,nowunder,nowabove,nowstaggeringforward,nowtopplingback.StillDykefought.Throughthatscrambling,strugglinggroup,throughthatmazeoftwistingbodies,twiningarms,straininglegs,S.Behrmansawhimfrommomenttomoment,hisfaceflaming,hiseyesbloodshot,hishairmattedwithsweat.Nowhewasdown,pinnedunder,twomenacrosshislegs,andnowhalf-wayupagain,strugglingtooneknee.Thenuprightagain,withhalfhisenemieshangingonhisback.Hiscolossalstrengthseemeddoubled;whenhisarmswereheld,hefoughtbull-likewithhishead.Ascoreoftimes,itseemedasiftheywereabouttosecurehimfinallyandirrevocably,andthenhewouldfreeanarm,aleg,ashoulder,andthegroupthat,forthefractionofaninstant,hadsettled,lockedandrigid,onitsprey,wouldbreakupagainasheflungamanfromhim,reelingandbloody,andhehimselftwisting,squirming,dodging,hisgreatfistsworkinglikepistons,backedaway,draggingandcarryingtheotherswithhim.
