h a superb attack
was never seen before--such a mad wild dash as he took the enemy by
surprise and hurled them back--all of them--back against the airships
that stood on the sands.

As the huge Cossack rushed forward, his sword flashed above his head.
His revolver he gripped tightly by the barrel. A fighting fire darted
from his eye, and his thin lips were bared in a slight smile.

If ever a man felt the joy of battle it was he. He heeded not the number
of his adversaries nor the steel that flashed forth against him.
Slashing, cutting, parrying, thrusting, he hurled himself in upon them.
They were carried back by the very fierceness of his attack. They gave
way before him, parting to retreat around one of the aircraft. With one
swift sweep of his foot, Alexis tore a ragged hole in the bottom of the
first craft; and at the same instant two men fell beneath his slashing
blows.

They could not stand before him--their very numbers were against them as
the giant pressed ever forward. Now a man dropped to the ground and
seized the giant by the left leg, thinking to drag him down. Alexis
drove his right boot into the man's face, and at the same moment, by a
quick back-handed sweep of his sword, cut down a man who would have
sprung upon his back.

His revolver rose and fell, once, twice, three times, and beneath these
crushing blows more Germans went down. But Alexis did not escape
unscathed. A sword thrust had pierced his chest, not deeply, but the
blood streamed forth. There was a gaping wound in his cheek; his
clothing was pierced in a dozen places.

But in spite of this he pressed on. He thought only of advance, never of
retreat; and as he hurled his gigantic body, time after time, upon the
overwhelming number of his foes, they gave back in consternation and
astonishment.

Ten men lay dead upon the ground, their skulls battered by fierce blows
of the revolver, or pierced through and through by the great sword.

And now Hal and Chester, the aeroplane once more ready for flight,
dashed forward to the rescue with loud cries.

They ranged themselves alongside the fighting Cossack. He greeted them
with a half-smile; he had no time for more. Three men threw themselves
upon him. One he hurled from him with a stroke of his mighty leg,
another felt the weight of his revolver butt and the third fell back
with a sword wound in his chest.

Unmindful of his own danger, the giant turned to the aid of Chester,
who, at that mom