He had witnessed the hypnotic exhibition before the drug-store earlier in the day, and recognized portions of the speech which Conko had recited, and noticed a similarity between Conko’s gestures and the actions of Professor Dodo Zodono.
Then Hitch’s dull eyes began to glow with strange interior fires.
With the negro’s knack for imitation, Hitch’s gloved hands dropped, his giant arms dangled at his sides, and he began to move toward Conko Mukes with stiff legs, as if someone had him by the shoulders leading him forward, as if the hinge joints of his hips were rusty, and hurt him when he walked.
The crowd gasped and uttered awe-stricken exclamations.
Slowly Hitch advanced until he was well within reach of Conko Mukes’s protruding jaw.
Then the sleepy lion suddenly thrust out a raging paw—there was the sharp snap of leather against human bone—an electric globe burst in Conko Mukes’s puny brain, and darkness enveloped the great originator of the pugilistic hoodoo-eyes!
“I knows whut I done to dat big stiff!” Hitch grinned as he turned to walk back to his corner.
Then a loud shout arose from the crowd and Hitch whirled and looked behind him.
In spite of that terrific blow, Conko Mukes was on his feet again!
The ropes around the rudely constructed ring had been under such a strain during the fight that when Conko Mukes reeled back against them they broke, and the inert body of the pugilist rolled into the ice-cold waters of Dorfoche Lake!