Ferris's sparse wealth. The intruder's touch awakened him to a
drowsy sense of peril. He thrust aside the fumbling hand and made
a herculean effort to rise.

At this show of resistance his two comrades, as by concerted
signal, threw themselves upon him. With a yell of angry fright
Link collapsed to earth under the dual impact.



CHAPTER II. The Battle

He felt one of the men pinion his waving arms, while the other
crouched on his legs and proceeded to unpin the money pocket.
Ferris struggled for an instant in futile fury, trying to shout
for help. The call was strangled in his throat. But the help came
to him, none the less.

Scarce three seconds had passed since the attempt to rob him had
set Link into action and had wrung from him that yell of
consternation.

But in answer came a swirling patter of feet on the road, a snarl
like a wolf's, a shape that catapulted through the dark. Sixty
pounds of fur-swathed dynamic muscle smote athwart the shoulders
of the man who was unfastening the cash pocket's pin.

The impact hurled the fellow clean off his crouching balance and
sent him sprawling, face downward, his outflung hands splashing
in the margin of the lake. Before he could roll over or so much