A FIGHT.
All the others in the cavern were on their feet now, all save Nikol, who
still lay unconscious where Nicolas had hurled him. Stubbs shrank back in
the dark, but Hal, Chester and the two British officers quickly produced
revolvers with which they covered Nicolas.
Ivan, out of the tail of his eye, caught sight of these movements. He let
out a roar even as Nicolas sprang upon him.
"Put up those guns!" he shouted. "I'll attend to this fellow with my bare
hands. Stand back!"
There was something in the voice of the big Cossack that impelled the
others to obey; and they drew back, circling about to watch the struggle.
Even Stubbs picked up courage enough to come forward; and hardly had the
fight begun when Nikol, too, pulled himself up and cast his eyes upon the
combatants.
Nicolas sprang upon Ivan with outstretched arms, his fingers spread wide.
His object was to clasp one of his strong hands about Ivan's throat, thus
obtaining an advantage at the outset. But Ivan had divined his intention
at the moment he sprang, and ducking with remarkable agility for a man of
his size, he came up inside the other's arms and grasped his opponent
around the middle with both arms.
Then he squeezed; and the spectators drew their breaths audibly, for it
seemed that no man could stand such a strain. But Nicolas bore up under
it, and when Ivan, out of wind, was forced to relinquish his hold,
Nicolas whirled upon him quickly and the fingers of his left hand sank
into the Cossack's throat. Chester uttered a faint cry of alarm, for a
hold such as this, obtained by such a powerful man as Nicolas, was indeed
a thing to be feared. Ivan leaped quickly backward, carrying Nicolas with
him, but the latter retained his hold; and then he brought his right fist
up under Ivan's chin. It was a hard blow and Ivan staggered.
With his left hand, Nicolas jerked the big Cossack forward again, and
shot his right fist into Ivan's face as he did so. Then, apparently
thinking his opponent done for, he released his grip on Ivan's throat and
stepped back.
But he had counted without the endurance and courage of the giant
Cossack. The fingers about his throat gone, Ivan, his head reeling
dizzily from the effects of the hold and the two hard blows, staggered
back several paces; then, with a loud cry, sprang forward again.
Nicolas also cried aloud as he stepped forward to meet the antagonist he
considered all but beaten. Ivan came forward with arms outstretched, and
unheeding the two hard blows that Nicolas struck him, he again grasped
the Montenegrin in a tight embrace. Nicolas wrapped his arms about Ivan;
and there they stood for the space of several seconds, each vainly trying
to move the other.
Suddenly Ivan gave back a step and as Nicolas came forward with him, the
Cossack thrust a leg behind his opponent and pushed with all his might.
Nicolas was caught off his balance and before he could recover himself
Ivan twisted sharply with his leg. Nicolas went over backwards, with Ivan
on top of him.
The two men struck the floor with a terrible crash; a cry was wrung from
the spectators, for it seemed that a fall with such force could mean
nothing less than broken bones for one of the fighters. But apparently it
did not; for, still locked in each other's embrace, the men were
struggling furiously for advantage upon the floor.
Ivan was still on top, but the Montenegrin, with both arms around the
Cossack's neck, was making desperate efforts to roll his opponent over.
Nicolas lay squarely upon his back and Ivan's arms, wrapped around him at
the moment of encounter, were pinioned beneath the other. The big Cossack
was making strenuous attempts to free his right hand and still hold his
opponent down with his great bulk. And at last he succeeded.
At the same moment Nicolas also released his hold and flopped over on his
face. Apparently he had given up all hope of overcoming Ivan and was now
acting purely upon the defensive. Ivan acted too late to prevent his
opponent from turning over, but now he seized him by both shoulders, and
planting his feet firmly upon the ground, by a mighty effort, jerked
Nicolas to his feet.
It was a marvelous exhibition of strength and brought a cry from Stubbs,
than whom there was no more interested spectator of the struggle. Nicolas
now whirled suddenly and his right fist caught Ivan a terrible and
unexpected jolt on the point of the chin. Ivan reeled back several paces
and Nicolas followed him closely, shouting:
"I've got you!"
The words seemed to have a strange effect upon Ivan. He seemed to recover
himself with an effort and his right and left fists shot almost
simultaneously in mighty blows. The first went wild, but the second
caught Nicolas squarely upon the side of the neck and checked his rush.
Before he could give ground, Ivan brought his huge right fist forward
again to the point of Nicolas' chin. The Montenegrin reeled.
But Ivan, having the advantage for really the first time, gave his
man no time to recover. He leaped forward and for a third time seized
his opponent in a close embrace. This time Nicolas had been unable to
draw a deep breath before the great arms closed about him and he
weakened suddenly.
In fact, he weakened so suddenly, that Ivan, believing victory his,
released his hold; and this overconfidence almost proved the Cossack's
undoing. Nicolas, realizing that he could not again free himself from
Ivan's embrace, had decided upon a bold stroke, and by apparently giving
up the struggle had placed himself in Ivan's power absolutely.
Then, when Ivan released his hold, Nicolas dropped suddenly to his knees
and seized Ivan by the legs and pulled sharply. Caught completely off his
guard, Ivan toppled over backwards. Nicolas jumped upon the prostrate
form and again his fingers sought Ivan's throat.
But Ivan was too quick for him and the fingers failed to find their mark.
Ivan doubled up his knees suddenly and thus prevented Nicolas from
obtaining his hold; then, straightening out his legs, he hurled Nicolas
from him. Instantly the Cossack was on his feet and after his opponent.
Nicolas also sprang to his feet and as the two men came together again
they threw wrestling tactics to the winds and brought their fists into
play. It was plainly apparent that neither had ever been schooled in
the art of self-defense and there was nothing skillful about the fight
that followed.
The attempts of each to ward off the blows of the other were ludicrous
and of little avail. Almost every blow started went home and it became
apparent to the spectators that in this kind of fighting the man who
could withstand the most punishment and land the hardest blows must be
the victor.
Several hard jolts had found their way to Ivan's face, but he did not
show any symptoms of being unable to continue the battle. His face was a
sight, but so was the face of Nicolas, for the matter of that. Both men
swung hard and often, and nine out of every ten times each landed.
Also both were panting heavily now and it was perfectly plain that the
fight must come to an end soon. And it did, but more suddenly than could
have been expected.
Nicolas, swinging wildly for Ivan's chin, had left an opening as large as
a house. The merest novice must have taken advantage of it. To Hal and
Chester, both skillful boxers, it was the best opening that had been
presented during the entire fight, and Hal cried out:
"Quick, Ivan!"
But his words were not needed. Ivan had seen the opening and had
acted promptly.
"Smack!" his right fist landed heavily between Nicolas' eyes.
"Smack!" it was his left landing on the point of Nicolas' jaw.
"Crash!" It sounded like the breaking of bones. There was a brief
silence, followed by another crash. The first was Ivan's right over
Nicolas' mouth and the second was the sound caused as Nicolas tumbled to
the ground, unconscious.
There was a twinkle in Ivan's eye as he surveyed his fallen foe.
"Some fighter, that fellow," he said. "I didn't believe he had it in him.
But I would have had him sooner if he hadn't fooled me."
"You certainly would," said Hal. "You see, Ivan, that's your trouble. You
know nothing of boxing. Had you been, a boxer you could have polished him
off easily."
"There is no science to using your fists," said Ivan decidedly. "The only
thing is to hit your opponent before he hits you."
"True enough," said Chester, "and that's where skill plays a part. For
instance now, I suppose I could keep you from ever touching me, big as
you are, and I venture to say I could land upon you almost at will,
though possibly not hard enough to put you out. You're too big for that."
"Ho! Ho!" laughed Ivan gleefully. "Hear the little fellow talk. Why, you
couldn't even lay a finger on me. I would just hold out one of my long
arms and you couldn't get near me."
Chester smiled.
"It sounds easy enough," he said. "But take my word for it, I know what I
am talking about."
"Well, show me," said Ivan.
"I will some time," was the reply. "Right now we'll have to tie Nicolas
up and finish our sleep."
But when Nicolas had been safely secured, Ivan declared that he would not
go to sleep until he had proven to Chester just how easy it would be to
handle him.
"Well, all right, then," said Chester, "I'll show you. But remember,
don't you crack me too hard if you do happen to land."
Chester placed himself quickly in an attitude of defense, left arm
extended slightly, right arm well back. Crouching slightly and treading
on his toes, he stepped lightly around Ivan, who, with arms wide, waited
for him to come in.
Chester feinted quickly with his left and brought his right forward as he
stepped in close. The right fist bumped the giant's chin gently, for
Chester had not struck hard. A moment later his left landed almost in the
same spot, a trifle harder, and he escaped Ivan's rush and wild swing by
side-stepping nimbly.
There was a puzzled expression on Ivan's face as he followed the lad
about the cavern, Chester dancing nimbly first to this side and then
that. Once the lad let the giant come close, and when he swung, Chester
jerked his head aside sharply and the blow passed over his shoulder.
Quickly then Chester stepped forward and with his open left palm smacked
Ivan smartly across the left cheek. He performed a similar operation with
his right; then stepped back and dropped his hands.
"Well?" he said, eying Ivan inquiringly.
"Well, you did it," said Ivan, greatly crestfallen. "How, I don't know.
Will you teach me?"
"Some time," said Chester. "Now, let's finish that sleep."