The driver, however, was strong as a gorilla. He squirmed out of the grip of Jack’s hand with comparative ease and gave a twist to the rod which connected with the sphere and served him as reins, with the effect of making the mysterious motor ascend more swiftly than ever. They were now at least a mile about the surface.
“Dis ain’t no healthy place for wrastlin’, boss,” Jim suggested. “Better lay low a while and catch him when he ain’t watchin’ out.”
But Jack’s blood was thoroughly up, and he was in no mood for procrastination. The question in dispute should be settled then and there.
“Hold on tight, boy,” he said to Jim; “I’m going to teach this gentleman better manners. He may be a better man than either Torpeon or I, but he’ll have to prove it.”
Without further preface he sprang upon the copper-colored driver, and a furious fight began. The creature struggled like a wild beast. All limitations of civilized, and even of human warfare, were abandoned; if his tongue were missing, his teeth were like those of a cave bear; and both hands and feet were armed with nails that looked like the talons of a griffin, and were used as such. He shrieked, bit and tore, leaped up and down, threw himself into unimaginable positions, got his shoulder under Jack’s thigh, and fought frantically to throw him on his back. Failing this, he got him round the body with his gorilla arms and, disregarding the tremendous blows which Jack dealt him, strove to fasten his fangs into his throat. The car, meanwhile, swayed from side to side like a skiff in a hurricane, and threatened to overturn every moment. Just then a swinging blow, driven with all the power of Jack’s arm which might have felled an ox, caught him fair on the jaw and broke it; and at the same time a vigorous thrust from Jim’s crutch, which he had been watching his chance to deliver, struck him in the left eye, and doubtless put it out of service.
With a hideous screech the monster relinquished his hold of his adversary and flung himself out of the car. It looked like suicide; but that was not the design of the gorilla from Tor. He came face down upon the metal sphere, and gripping it fast between his knees, disconnected with his left hand the guiding-rod from the car. The sphere, with the creature on it, continued its ascent with added impetus, and was soon far away; while the car containing Jack and Jim began a descent toward the planet beneath.
The situation seemed serious. “I think we’re in for a bad tumble, Jim,” Jack remarked, glancing over the edge of the car. “It’s some comfort to have landed on that fellow’s jaw before he got away; and that punch you gave him in the eye will help him remember us; but Saturn will hit us a harder blow yet. If you should happen to come out alive tell Miriam we did our best.”
“Dat tumble we had from N’York was bigger dan dis, and didn’t hurt us none,” Jim responded cheerfully. “Some o’ dem Sattum guys may be holdin’ a blanket to catch us, like at a fire on the Bowery. Say, boss,” he added, “here’s dat keepsake de lady give yer in de lab’ratory hangin’ down yer back! What about it?”
Jack had forgotten the sapphire talisman. If it had warded off the lightning bolt launched at him by Torpeon it might have some further occult virtue in reserve. The drop earthward continued with increasing velocity, but there was still a good distance to go. He lost no time in getting his hands on the talisman, and there it lay, sparkling in his broad palm. But how was it to be used?
“Look at what’s comin’ for us, boss!” squeaked Jim.