The men
pulled up under the window, out of the range of fire from within, safely
enough, and Chester and Helen could hear them talking.

"We'll wait here," said one. "Somebody'll show his head pretty quick and
when he does, we'll get him."

Chester motioned to Helen to move back from the window.

"What are you going to do?" she asked in some anxiety.

"Have you any hot water?" asked Chester suddenly.

"Why, yes," cried the girl and clapped her hands, "There is a kettle on
the stove."

"You remain here while I get it," said Chester briefly.

He dashed into the kitchen and was back in a moment with the large kettle
of hot water in both hands. He motioned the girl away from the window.

The lad lifted the kettle to the sill with an effort, and then gauging
the position of the enemy by the sound of the voices without, he
tilted it over.

Came furious cries of pain from without as the boiling water found
its mark. Then there came a different sort of cry. Chester looked
out quickly.

From the front door dashed Ivan and bore down upon the foe.

CHAPTER XXIV.

IVAN SHOWS HIS METAL.

Chester had poured the boiling water upon the foe at the psychological
moment indeed--for Ivan had been ready to dash forward at that exact
minute and Chester had diverted the attention of the Bulgarians long
enough for Ivan to reach them without being discovered.

Had the men not been otherwise engaged when he dashed from his place of
concealment, they would doubtless have shot him down before he reached
them. But the kettle of hot water had prevented them from bringing their
revolvers to bear until too late.

Ivan descended upon them with a wild cry, and at sight of him the
Bulgarians gave back. Eight of them there were, but they recoiled as a
single man from the great Cossack.

A single shot Ivan fired from his two revolvers and then they were empty.
Quickly he reversed both weapons, and holding both by the barrels, he was
among the enemy, striking right and left as fast as the eye could see.

Down went a man on the left with a cracked skull. A man on the right
caught a glancing blow on the shoulder and also toppled over. Now the
remaining six scattered and sought to get a position where they could
shoot Ivan down without fear of injuring one of their own number. But
Ivan prevented this by keeping close.

He at length seized one man by the neck--dropping the revolver he held in
his left hand to do so--and held him b