ly kicking legs. With a last desperate effort the latter
twisted himself sufficiently to allow his free arm to again swing the
handcuffs, and this time they caught the wachtmeister neatly on the
nose, setting that organ bleeding profusely, and raising the big
Teuton's angry passions to a boiling-over point.

So far, to do him but justice, he had made no attempt to use his
revolver, but now, roused by the blow, and furious at the sight of his
own blood, he immediately released Dick and drew his weapon.

Dick heard the click of the hammer as he cocked it: heard too the
furious "Schwein-hund Englander! I'll shoot you dead for that!" saw the
muzzle thrust within a few inches of his head, and shut his eyes.

And as he did so the wachtmeister was hauled back by the shirt collar
with terrific force, and flung back on the sand with his neck almost
broken, whilst the bullet meant for Dick's brains sang over the
neighboring sand-dune. A vigorous kick sent Dick's remaining assailant
flying, and he scrambled to his feet to see the professor calmly taking
possession of the half-stunned wachtmeister's pistol.

"Enough," he exclaimed, "think shame, Brandt, to shoot an unarmed man!
That would be cowardly, and you are no coward! They taught you not such
unbillig spiel at the gymnasium at Munich."

"Unarmed!" spluttered the wachtmeister, "he has the handcuffs and my
nose is smashed! Herr Professor, you must not stand between me and my
prisoner. With all respect, no! Brietmann, you schwein-hund! . . .
never have I seen such a dummkopf! . . . Secure him, I say!"

"Hold!" roared the professor, "touch him not till I hear what all this
is about. Besides, the man will kill you! Never have I seen a better
fighter or a better fight! And fair play he shall have. And explain I
saw not the beginning of all this, what has the Herr Sydney done?"

"Done," snarled Gilderman, sidling near, his face bruised and
discolored from Dick's first uppercut, "done! why don't you see the
thieving hound has stolen the diamonds there they lay they fell from
his shirt, the dirty thief!"

Apparently for the first time, the professor's glance fell upon the red
handkerchief with the diamonds, and he picked them up, and stood
balancing them in his hand and looking from Dick to Gilderman before he
replied.

"Professor," began Dick, finding his tongue again; "I am no thief that
you can bear witness. I--"

The professor interrupted him with a gesture.

"So," sa