e locked
in a death grapple.

"Help! Help!" came Stubbs' voice.

Chester moved forward to interfere, for he reasoned that perhaps Ivan,
in his lust for battle, had been unable to distinguish between friend
and foe. But Hal stayed him with uplifted hand and Chester saw that his
chum was laughing quietly. He realized then that Ivan had recognized
his opponent.

He lined up with Hal and Nikol and watched the struggle.

Ivan had one huge arm around the little man and seemed to be making
strenuous efforts to throw him. Stubbs struggled valiantly, the while
sending out wails for help. Chester saw that Ivan was simply playing.

"Stick to him, Mr. Stubbs," cried Chester. "You'll have him down in
a minute."

Stubbs twisted and squirmed like an eel. Once he slipped free of Ivan's
clutch and started to run. Ivan reached out quickly and grasped him by
the left shoulder and drew him back.

Stubbs let out a yell of fear, and as he turned face to face with the
Cossack, he struck out and upward with his clenched fist. The blow landed
squarely on Ivan's nose and brought a stream of blood.

Ivan let out a roar of rage. Apparently he had not bargained for this.
Then he lifted Stubbs high, in the air and tossed him away in the
darkness. The little man's yells were loud and long as he flew through
the air. He struck the hard earth with a grunt perhaps twenty feet away.

Slowly he got to his feet and came toward the others, who were now
talking to Ivan. In front of them, he stopped.

"Say!" he exclaimed. "What are you fellows trying to do, anyhow? Get me
killed off so you won't have to bother with me? Didn't you see that big
heathen tossing me around? What?"

Hal turned and eyed the little man suddenly.

"Why, there he is now," he said in a voice of surprise. "We were just
talking about you, Mr. Stubbs. Chester was asking about you. I told him
you were here a moment ago. Where did you go so suddenly?"

Stubbs glared at them.

"You mean to tell me you didn't see some big giant grab me a minute ago?"
he demanded. "You didn't see me fighting for my life?"

"Fighting?" exclaimed Hal. "You fighting, Mr. Stubbs. I didn't think you
would attack a man."

"I didn't attack a man," shouted the thoroughly aroused Stubbs. "I
didn't attack a man. A man attacked me. No, it wasn't a man, either. It
was a giant."

"Is that so, Mr. Stubbs?" asked Chester in well-feigned surprise. "And
where were the rest of us all that time?"

"Where--