overhauled a running
figure. Dave shot out his right hand, gathering in, by the coat
collar, Monsieur Dalny.

"My friend," uttered Dave grimly, as he halted the fugitive, "this
does not appear to be one of your best fighting nights."

"I--I--I--" stammered M. Dalny, his face white. "I--I--"

"So you said before," Dave retorted dryly. "Let it go at that."

"Do you mean to charge that I ran away?" demanded Dalny, with a show
of injured dignity.

"Certainly not," retorted Dave, ironically. "You were merely trying to
show two scared Americans the shortest way back to a safe part of
Naples."

"It's not safe here," whispered Dalny, trembling. "We are almost
certain to be followed by an enraged mob. Let us use discretion."

The word "discretion" recalled Darrin to the fact that he must not be
too rough with the fellow through whom he hoped to learn something of
great interest to Admiral Timworth.

"You are right, Monsieur Dalny," agreed the young ensign. "Let us
waste little time in getting away from this part of Naples."

No walk could have been too brisk, just then, for Dalny. He was not a
coward in all things, but he felt a deadly terror of cold steel.

In addition, this international plotter had, just then, a lively
conviction that friends of the men whom these American officers had
handled so roughly might, if they overtook him, feel a decided thirst
for vengeance upon the man who had led such giants against the bravos
of the Strada di Mara.

"Why are you looking back so often?" Dave asked, as the three gained
the next corner.

"To see if we are pursued," confessed Dalny.

"That is prudent," Darrin smiled, "yet hardly necessary."

"What do you mean?" asked the international plotter.

[Illustration: "Dave shot out his right hand."]

"Because," explained Dan, grinning, "the only bravos who have any
reason to be afraid of us to-night are those who might get in front
of us. Those who keep behind us will have every chance to get away
unharmed."

"You are a droll pair," muttered Dalny.

"And, unless I am greatly in error, my fine fellow, you led us into
that trap for the purpose of having something bad happen to us,"
muttered Dave, but he kept the words behind his teeth, for he did not
care, as yet, to come to an open quarrel with this fellow.

Before long the three reached one of the broader, well-lighted
thoroughfares. Here they engaged a driver and carriage, and were soon
once more in the Riviera di