a crash, first one on top and then the other in
rapid succession. It would have made an excellent picture for the silver
screen, Jack could not help thinking while he drew his automatic and
kept tabs on that open door, more than half expecting to see Oswald
Kearns dash wildly out with some sort of machine-gun in his hands, ready
to take a chance in the game, knowing that the attack must have
everything to do with his own safety.

Perk seemed to be hanging on with the tenacity of a bulldog, for not
another peep did the wolfish man, whose throat he squeezed, give vent to
as the slam-bang fight continued. It was lucky indeed there chanced to
be a raised wall about the well or in their frantic staggering this way
and that the wrestlers might have plunged down into the yawning
aperture, much to their mutual discomfiture--as it was they smashed up
against the curbing several times, to emit grunts at the rough contact.

Finally, Jack, to his relief, saw Perk slam his now weakening adversary
to the ground and immediately follow this up by sending in a number of
furious blows that took every atom of fight out of the unfortunate chap
who collapsed as if wholly done for.

Perk himself was far from fresh--his breath came in gasps and he must
have been trembling in every joint from the tremendous exertion put
forth but as always, victory was sweet in his nostrils and after
assuring himself that nothing further need be feared from the man he had
downed, he struggled to his feet, and ranged himself alongside Jack, as
if to declare his readiness to fight it out along those lines if it took
all night.

CHAPTER XXVII

AT BAY

Jack had been keeping a watchful eye on the nearby shack, not knowing
what moment a raging figure might come dashing forth armed with a
rapid-fire gun and ready to sweep up the earth with the mangled bodies
of himself and Perk.

Somewhat to his surprise, and greatly to his relief as well, nothing of
the kind came to pass. Suddenly he realized that the door of the squatty
little coquina rock building had been closed, for no longer did the
light spread a banner out into the black night.

"Drag him back of the well here, Perk," he said softly, "we've got to
make certain he'll give us no further trouble. Got that piece of stout
rope I gave you?"

"Right here, partner--wrapped around my waist," and as he thus managed
to make himself heard, even while so short of breath, Perk caught hold
of the neares