cavern, where was the pallet which had been assigned to him.

Chester broke into a little laugh, which died suddenly as he stared down
into the angry face of Nikol, which glared up at him.

There was a deep frown on the dwarf's face and he tapped himself upon the
breast with one finger as he said:

"Any man who insults my friend, insults me. You have cast reflections
upon my friend's courage. He, being your friend, overlooks it; but I, the
man whom he worsted in fair fight, cannot. You must apologize."

Here Hal interfered. He had had such an encounter with the dwarf himself
and he understood the situation.

"Hey, Stubbs!" he called. "Come back here, quick!"

Stubbs, just about to lie down upon his pallet, hurried back. He took in
the situation at a glance and turned upon Nikol angrily.

"Here," he cried. "You keep out of my quarrels. I was big enough to
attend to you, I can do the same with the rest of them."

"But he said--" protested the dwarf, pointing a finger at Chester.

"I don't care what he said," Stubbs said. "I can fight my own battles."

Nikol, deeply offended, drew back, and without another word, walked to
the pallet that had been assigned to him. Stubbs, feeling somewhat better
now that he had been able to berate some one and thus soothe his injured