Bart felt himself forced backward. He realized that his assailant was a person of enormous strength, and it seemed that he had met more than his match.
But Bart was a fighter, and he never gave up while he could breathe. Some lads might have weakened and begged, but the very fact that he seemed pitted against his master made him fight all the more savagely.
Blow followed blow, till Bart could no longer strike with effect. He knew he had left his mark on the face of the man. He was beginning to gasp.
Three times did the unknown try to fasten his fingers on Bart’s throat, and three times was he foiled by the boy, who now felt that he was, indeed, fighting for his life.
There was something terrible and deadly about the manner in which the silent man endeavored to get a crushing hold on Hodge. At last, Bart panted:
“Who are you?”
No reply. The struggle continued with unabated fury.
Bart was forced to his knees, but he got upon his feet again. He wondered how Frank was making out, but could not get breath to call to his friend.
Once his feet slipped and he felt that he was going over the brink into the water below, but he held fast to the man, and the unknown dragged him back.
Then came a time when Bart’s assailant lifted his fist and struck the boy on the temple. Hodge was stunned. He reeled and flung up both hands.