“Gee! I believe the chief has got its number!” exclaimed Patsy breathlessly.
Nick Carter was quick to perceive his advantage. Changing his tactics, the pursuer became the pursued.
Around the arena raced the Golden Scarab, with Nick Carter close at its heels, seeking to deliver a blow that would end the battle.
Three times they made the complete circuit of the place, and each time they passed the gateway through which the Scarab had come, it tried to run in.
But Nick was always there with his spear, and prevented the retreat with very little trouble.
The detective found that he could move twice as quickly as the beetle. But he kept in mind the warning of Lord Slava, that one touch of the creature’s horns meant death, and was careful never to let them come too close.
The face of Calaman was livid with fury and fear, but the crowds in the seats bellowed encouragement in a great wave of noise that made any words spoken in the amphitheater a mere waste of breath.
It was now that the companions of Nick Carter, unnoticed in the general excitement, stepped out from their hiding place, each—except Jai Singh—with a rifle in his hand.
There was no question that the Golden Scarab felt itself beaten, and sought only to escape the weapon of the agile, watchful man, who seemed to be on all sides at once.
The monster, finding it could not run away, suddenly wheeled on Nick and tried to lunge at him with its poisoned horns. But again the detective easily evaded the attack, and, with a laugh, leaped to safety. At the same time he brought his spear down with a crash on the scaly back.