There was a sound of many waters in his ears, the darkness all
around grew shot with little flames, he could hear some one
breathing very noisily and he was not sure whether this were himself
or his adversary till he realized that it was both of them. With
one sudden, almost superhuman effort, he heaved his great adversary
up, but had not strength enough left to do more than let him slip
from his grasp to fall on the ground, and with the effort he himself
dropped forward on his hands and knees, just as a lantern shone at
a distance and a voice cried:

"This way, Tom. Master John, Master John, where are you?"



CHAPTER III

A COINCIDENCE


Another voice answered from near by and Dunn scrambled hurriedly to
his feet.

He had but a moment in which to decide what to do, for these new
arrivals were coming at a run and would be upon him almost instantly
if he stayed where he was.

That they were friends of the man he had just overthrown and whose
huge bulk lay motionless in the darkness at his feet, seemed plain,
and it also seemed plain to him that the moment was not an opportune