CHAPTER VI.

A STRANGE ENCOUNTER.


Hal laughed aloud.

"Terrible fight, eh?" he exclaimed. "Of course you did. What else could
you do? You had to fight. Pretty lucky, Stubbs."

"Lucky!" echoed Stubbs. "What do you mean, lucky? If you had been here
in time to see me tackle this fellow you would have known what a hard
time I had."

"I saw you," replied Hal. "You can put down your gun, now. I'll take care
of this fellow."

He leveled his own revolver at the queer-looking creature before him and
Stubbs placed his newly-acquired revolver in his coat pocket.

Hal motioned to his prisoner to approach. The latter did so with an ugly
scowl on his face. He seemed not to have the slightest fear and came up
to the lad unflinchingly.

"Speak English?" asked Hal.

There was no reply.

"French?"