h, and the
wrist was as if encased in a coil of iron. Then, with a peculiar twist
of his hand, known only to himself, and resembling that remarkable
system known under the name of jiu jitsu among the Japanese, who are
the only ones that understand it in all its frightful perfection, he
bent the hand of the chief remorselessly over and backward, until the
palm gaped like the mouth of a dying fish and the knife dropped to the
ground.

Deerfoot now had both wrists imprisoned. Taggarak gasped and panted and
writhed, but could not twist himself loose. In the trial of strength
the Shawanoe proved himself the superior. Great drops gathered on the
forehead of the Blackfoot. His grin displayed every molar in his head,
and the mouth, stretched to double its usual extent, had that horrible
appearance when the space between the lips at the corners is the same
as in front and the expression is that of a raging wild beast.

Thus the two stood, their arms sawing up and down and from one side to
another, without the Blackfoot being able to loosen the merciless grip.
He was panting, but no one could have detected any quickening of the
respiration of the Shawanoe. His mouth was set and the light of battle
flashed in his eyes. He did not speak or yield a point. The crisis had
come and he knew he was the victor, just as he knew he would be from
the first.

The Blackfoot swayed and his moccasins slid here and there over the
ground from the contortion of limbs and body. Then he began pushing
with might and main. His eyes were beginning to clear, but the
perspiration dripped from the twisted coppery features. Reading his
purpose, Deerfoot began pushing also. Neither yielded for a minute or
two, and then the chief was slowly forced backward. There was no
withstanding the tremendous power of the youth, who strove to the last
ounce of his matchless strength.

Taggarak recoiled a step, then another, then began walking backward,
and the next minute the walk became a trot on the part of both, the
chief retreating and the Shawanoe forcing him faster and faster, though
he struggled and resisted with the same panting desperation as at
first.

He was still trotting backward with short, increasing steps when
Deerfoot, never relaxing his grasp on the writhing wrists, thrust one
heel behind his enemy, who tripped and went over. To insure due
emphasis in the fall, Deerfoot made a leap as he was going and landed
with both knees on the breast of the B