For some reason that he could not explain, Hal left his place of concealment and moved toward the combatants. The others followed him.
"Ho! Ho!" came the great voice again. "Ivan Vergoff, the greatest of the
Cossacks, attacked by this puny pygmy."
Hal had now approached close enough to see the gigantic figure of Nikol's antagonist and to witness the struggle.
The giant had stooped over and seized Nikol by one arm. He pulled, but the dwarf, his feet firmly planted on the ground, did not budge. It was a great exhibition of strength, for Hal knew that the stranger must be a powerful man.
This time the giant did not laugh.
"A strong man," he muttered aloud. "A strong man, though he be a pygmy."
He now extended another arm, seized the dwarf around the middle and lifted him high above his head. With his right arm the dwarf struck the face that gazed up at him as he was suspended high in the air.
The big man gave a roar like that of an angry bull, hurled the dwarf from him and then jumped after the flying figure with remarkable agility for a man of his huge size.
But even as he would have seized Nikol again, Hal stepped forward.
"Wait!" cried the lad, who had been doing some quick thinking. "Your name is Ivan Vergoff and you are a Cossack?"