at that very moment free. His freedom was only from moment to moment,
however; the kind of freedom one gets who runs away from the police.

It was not Johnny's fault that he ran away either. They had been
following the orders of the police to the letter, he and Hanada. They
had gone across the bridge with them, had meekly submitted to being
handcuffed, had been waiting for the patrol-wagon, when things happened.

Four men dashed suddenly from the darkness, and before the patrolmen
could draw guns or clubs, before Johnny could realize what was
happening, the officers were flat on the pavement, with hands and feet
tied.

Johnny's brain worked rapidly. He understood all right. These men were
Radicals. He was the prize they were after--he and the diamonds. Once
let him be taken to the police station, there to be searched, the
diamonds would be lost to them forever.

But handcuffed as he was, Johnny was not the boy to submit to being
kidnapped without a fight. As one of the Radicals leaped at him, he put
his hands up, as in a sign of surrender, then brought them, iron
bracelets and all, crashing down on the fellow's head. The man went down
without a cry.

Hanada, too, had not been idle. He slipped the handcuffs from his
slender wrists and seizing the club of one of the fallen policemen,
aimed a blow at the second man who leaped at Johnny. A moment later,
Johnny heard his shrill whisper:

"C'mon!"