so vice-like a grip that the arm became
immovable; while with his right he grasped the man by the throat and
thrust him violently backward, at the same instant twining his right leg
round the legs of his antagonist, with the result that both crashed to
the ground, Jack being uppermost. His antagonist was an immensely
powerful man, lithe and sinewy as a leopard, and he struggled furiously
to free himself, hitting out savagely with his free left hand and
landing one or two very nasty blows on Jack's face; until the latter,
with one knee on his prostrate foe's chest, managed to get the other
upon his left forearm and thus pin it to the ground. Meanwhile Jack's
grip upon the throat of the man was by no means to be shaken off, and
the struggles of the stranger were rapidly growing weaker as the breath
was remorselessly choked out of him, when Milsom and Carlos, both of
whom had been awaked by the commotion, dashed into the room, bearing
lights, and loudly demanding to know what was the matter.

"I'll be shot if I know," answered Jack; "but I daresay this chap can
tell us. He got in through the window; and as the lightning showed him
to be a stranger, and I also noticed that he carried a rather
formidable-looking knife, it occurred to me that it might be wise to
make a prisoner of him, and get him to tell us who he is, and what he
wants. Now, friend, I will trouble you for that knife." The man
surrendered the weapon with a sullen scowl. "Thanks!" said Jack. "Now
you may stand up."

The man rose to his feet, revealing to the gaze of the three friends a
tall and sinewy form, attired in the picturesquely-tattered garb of a
muleteer, or wagoner. The fellow was a low-class Spaniard, of
singularly vicious and disreputable appearance; and as he glared
vindictively at his captor he looked capable of anything, murder
included. For a moment he appeared inclined to make a desperate bid for
liberty; but as Jack had slipped between him and the open window, while
Milsom, with a cocked revolver in his hand, stood with his back against
the closed door of the apartment, he thought better of it, and simply
enquired:

"Well, what are you going to do with me?"

"That will depend, to some extent, upon the answers which you may see
fit to give to our questions," answered Carlos. "First of all, who are
you; and what errand brought you here?"

"My name, Senor Montijo, is Panza--Antonio Panza; my present occupation
is that of a carri