d him. Now, once ag'in, are
youse goin' t' tell me what I want t' know?"

"I can't!" exclaimed Dick, wishing he had Jimmy there to help him. "I
would, really I would, if I could, but I can't remember anything,
except that I got hit on the head and then I woke up in the box with
Jimmy."

"Yes, dat's de story youse tells, but I t'ink it's a fake. What I want
is de real t'ing."

"I am telling you the truth."

"Well, I don't believe youse are."

"You can ask the police at headquarters. I have been there and told
them my story."

"Yes; when youse catches me around police headquarters it'll be colder
dan it is now."

Bulldog grasped Dick by an arm and pulled him closer to him, while his
heavy fist was ready to deal a cruel blow. Dick tried to shrink away,
but he was held fast. He looked about the room for some way of escape
or some weapon he might use on his captor.

The apartment, as far as he could see in the dim light of a smoking oil
lamp, was deserted. There was only one door, that by which they had
entered, and Bulldog had locked that. Nor was there anything in the
room, save a table and a few chairs.

"Oh, youse can't git away from me," said Bulldog, guessing of what Dick
was thinking. "Now, den, take dat!" and he dealt Dick a hard blow in
the face. Instinctively the boy raised his arm to protect his head.

"Oh, youse wants t' fight, eh?" inquired the bully, with a sneer, at
the same time taking the attitude in which pugilists are usually
depicted. "Well, I kin give youse all of dat yer wants; see!"

Nothing was further from Dick's thought than to engage in a fight with
the bully, but Bulldog interpreted matters his own way. All Dick cared
about was to escape.

Once more the coward hit him, and then Dick's natural courage arose.
He would not submit tamely to being beaten, and, with a wild desire in
his heart to hit back, his fist shot out.

It would be hard to say who was the more surprised, Dick or the bully,
at the effect of the blow. It caught Bulldog on the cheek and forced
him back slightly. But it had the effect of further enraging him, and
the bully advanced to the attack with an angry look in his eyes.

Suddenly Bulldog's fist shot out, and the blow taking Dick squarely on
the chest, sent him reeling and stumbling back. An instant later he
fell to the floor. Then the bully sprang forward, all his meaner
fighting instincts aroused, determined to cruelly punish the lad, who,
he