The moon was up, and by its light, which streamed in at the wide-open door, a man and a dog were seen struggling on the floor. The dog was Boxer, who had leaped at the throat of the man as he came slipping in at the open door.
"Great Scott!" exclaimed Hodge. "What's the meaning of this?"
"One of my friends has arrived," said Frank. "Boxer has him."
The struggle was fierce and terrible. The dog[Pg 239] seemed to have the man by the throat. Before either Merry or Hodge could interfere the moonlight glinted on something bright in the hand of the man, who struck and struck again.
Not a sound came from the dog. But the bright thing in the man's hand grew suddenly dark.
"Heavens!" gasped Frank, leaping forward. "He has a knife!"
Then a terrible sound came from the throat of the man, and he lifted his arm no more. The thing in his hand, dark and dripping, fell to the floor of the hut.
A moment later the man rolled into the shadow, and then Boxer was seen dragging himself away, while the man lay still.
"Boxer! Boxer!" cried Frank, bending over the dog. "Are you hurt, boy? Merciful goodness! he ripped your whole side open with that knife!"
Hodge struck a light and bent over the man who lay in the shadow. When the match burned out in his fingers he dropped it and stepped out to join Merriwell, who had picked up the dog and carried the creature into the open air.