But only the Bahaman and the little conch barred his actual line of progress.

Both leaped at him at the same time, as he came dashing down on them.
The conch was a yard or so in front of the negro.

And now the fugitive saw the Bahaman's supposed cudgel was an iron crowbar which he wielded as easily as a wand.

The negro leaped and at the same time struck.

But, by some queer chance, the conch, a yard ahead of him, lost his own footing in the shifty sand just then and tumbled headlong.
He fell directly in the Bahaman's path.