CHAPTER XXIV.
IVAN SHOWS HIS METAL.
Chester had poured the boiling water upon the foe at the psychologicalmoment indeed--for Ivan had been ready to dash forward at that exactminute and Chester had diverted the attention of the Bulgarians longenough for Ivan to reach them without being discovered.
Had the men not been otherwise engaged when he dashed from his place ofconcealment, they would doubtless have shot him down before he reachedthem. But the kettle of hot water had prevented them from bringing theirrevolvers to bear until too late.
Ivan descended upon them with a wild cry, and at sight of him theBulgarians gave back. Eight of them there were, but they recoiled as asingle man from the great Cossack.
A single shot Ivan fired from his two revolvers and then they were empty.Quickly he reversed both weapons, and holding both by the barrels, he wasamong the enemy, striking right and left as fast as the eye could see.
Down went a man on the left with a cracked skull. A man on the rightcaught a glancing blow on the shoulder and also toppled over. Now theremaining six scattered and sought to get a position where they couldshoot Ivan down without fear of injuring one of their own number. ButIvan prevented this by keeping close.
He at length seized one man by the neck--dropping the revolver he held inhis left hand to do so--and held him before him as a shield.
Then he charged the others.
Ivan's eyes shone with a terrible fire as he darted forward. His hat wasoff and his long hair streamed in the wind. Holding his human shield ashe did with his strong left hand, he raised his revolver aloft in hisright, gripping it tightly by the barrel.
The nearest man of the enemy failed to skip aside quickly enough and therevolver crashed down on his head with a thud. That was the last of him.A second, thinking to take advantage of this action, slipped upon thegiant from behind and leveled his revolver at Ivan's head. But once moreIvan was too quick for him, and, whirling suddenly, hurled his revolverat the man.
The Cossack's aim was true, and struck squarely in the face with thesharp revolver, the man dropped to the ground. Now, besides the man hestill held aloft, there were but three of the enemy left. With a loudcry, they turned and ran.
But Ivan had no mind to be balked of his prey. He still held a weapon,and he made good use of it. The weapon was the man he had been using fora shield. Raising him high above his head with his right arm, he hurledhim forward, as a man putting the shot.
The human catapult sailed through the air and struck two of the enemy asit fell, carrying them to the ground, knocking the breath from the bodiesof all three.
Ivan leaped forward quickly. Stooping, he picked up two men, one in eachhand, and brought their heads together with an audible crash. Then hehurled one down upon the third man with great force, and stooping, pickedup a revolver.
Quickly he dropped to one knee, and leveling the revolver, tookcareful aim at the remaining man, who was now some distance away andrunning swiftly.
"Crack!"
A report, a flash of flame in the darkness.
An imprecation from Ivan, a second report and flash of flame, and the manfell sprawling.
Ivan rose calmly. He surveyed the field of action with a critical eye.Then, without a word, he turned on his heel and stalked back to thehouse. As he came to where Chester and Helen stood, he said quietly:
"Any more of them in here?"
"None," returned Chester. "You finished the lot."
"Good," said the Cossack. "I thought they had me once."
He uttered no further word, but made his way to the parlor, where he satdown as calmly as though nothing had happened.
"You go in there, too," said Chester to Helen. "I'll have a look atAnderson."
But the girl refused to obey this command and accompanied the lad towhere the gallant Colonel lay, moaning feebly.
Chester dropped down and raised Colonel Anderson's head to his knee.
"How do you feel, old man?" he asked.
"Rather weak and dizzy," was the Colonel's mumbled response.
"Where did the bullet hit you?"
"Top of the head some place," and Colonel Anderson raised a feeble handand passed it over his head.
"Quiet now," said Chester. "I'll have you in the other room in a jiffyand we'll have a look at the wound. Will you make a light in the parlor,Miss Ellison?"
The girl hastened away to do as Chester requested and the lad assistedColonel Anderson to his feet.
"Put your arm around my neck," the lad commanded. "Lean all yourweight on me and I'll drag you into the other room. You're too big forme to carry."
Colonel Anderson followed instructions and Chester dragged him to theparlor, where he laid him on a couch. Then he bent over and examinedthe wound.
"Doesn't amount to much," he said finally, rising. "Will you get me somewater and a cloth. Miss Ellison? Also, if by any chance you can find it,a piece of adhesive plaster."
"I can get them all," said the girl. "Miss Thatcher's kit is still here."
She hurried away and was back in a few minutes with the necessary things.She lent Chester a hand and bathed the wound on the Colonel's head, whileChester unrolled the adhesive plaster. Then they bound up the wound.
Colonel Anderson then insisted on sitting up. He passed a hand ruefullyacross his bandaged head and smiled faintly.
"Hurts a little, but not much," he said in answer to Chester's question."But now, if you'll tell me--"
He paused suddenly and raised a warning hand.
"What's the matter now?" demanded Chester anxiously.
"Thought I heard voices without."
With a bound Ivan left his chair and darted toward the door. Hedisappeared in the darkness.
"Ivan's fighting blood is up," said Chester. "I guess I'd better go afterhim. You guard the wounded man here, Miss Ellison."
He hurried after Ivan.
Outside the door he came upon a strange sight--a sight that caused him tocry out in merriment and thankfulness.
In his first gaze he saw four figures and the first he recognized as thatof Hal, the next that of Nikol. These two stood quietly gazing at twoother figures who were struggling nearby. Chester glanced at the otherfigures. They were Ivan and Anthony Stubbs and they appeared to be lockedin a death grapple.
"Help! Help!" came Stubbs' voice.
Chester moved forward to interfere, for he reasoned that perhaps Ivan,in his lust for battle, had been unable to distinguish between friendand foe. But Hal stayed him with uplifted hand and Chester saw that hischum was laughing quietly. He realized then that Ivan had recognizedhis opponent.
He lined up with Hal and Nikol and watched the struggle.
Ivan had one huge arm around the little man and seemed to be makingstrenuous efforts to throw him. Stubbs struggled valiantly, the whilesending out wails for help. Chester saw that Ivan was simply playing.
"Stick to him, Mr. Stubbs," cried Chester. "You'll have him down ina minute."
Stubbs twisted and squirmed like an eel. Once he slipped free of Ivan'sclutch and started to run. Ivan reached out quickly and grasped him bythe left shoulder and drew him back.
Stubbs let out a yell of fear, and as he turned face to face with theCossack, he struck out and upward with his clenched fist. The blow landedsquarely on Ivan's nose and brought a stream of blood.
Ivan let out a roar of rage. Apparently he had not bargained for this.Then he lifted Stubbs high, in the air and tossed him away in thedarkness. The little man's yells were loud and long as he flew throughthe air. He struck the hard earth with a grunt perhaps twenty feet away.
Slowly he got to his feet and came toward the others, who were nowtalking to Ivan. In front of them, he stopped.
"Say!" he exclaimed. "What are you fellows trying to do, anyhow? Get mekilled off so you won't have to bother with me? Didn't you see that bigheathen tossing me around? What?"
Hal turned and eyed the little man suddenly.
"Why, there he is now," he said in
a voice of surprise. "We were justtalking about you, Mr. Stubbs. Chester was asking about you. I told himyou were here a moment ago. Where did you go so suddenly?"
Stubbs glared at them.
"You mean to tell me you didn't see some big giant grab me a minute ago?"he demanded. "You didn't see me fighting for my life?"
"Fighting?" exclaimed Hal. "You fighting, Mr. Stubbs. I didn't think youwould attack a man."
"I didn't attack a man," shouted the thoroughly aroused Stubbs. "Ididn't attack a man. A man attacked me. No, it wasn't a man, either. Itwas a giant."
"Is that so, Mr. Stubbs?" asked Chester in well-feigned surprise. "Andwhere were the rest of us all that time?"
"Where--where were you?" echoed Stubbs. "You were right here, that'swhere you were. You mean to tell me you didn't hear me call for help?"
"You don't say," said Hal. "Why didn't you call aloud, Mr. Stubbs?"
Stubbs sputtered angrily.
"By George! I did call out loud," he cried.
"And what has happened to the man who attacked you, Mr. Stubbs--the giantyou speak of?" inquired Hal civilly.
"Well, he, I--I don't know. He looked suspiciously like Ivan there to me,though why he should jump me, I don't know. Yes, sir, I could have swornit was Ivan, but I must have been mistaken."
Stubbs glanced around on all sides.
"By George!" he exclaimed at last. "I know I had a fight, but I can'tseem to make any one believe it."
"Still sleepy, Mr. Stubbs?" asked Hal.
"Sleepy?" repeated the little man. "Sleepy? What do you mean?"
"Why, that fighting dream just now," said Hal. For a moment Stubbs staredat the lad angrily; then turned on his heel and stalked into the house.
"Come," said Chester, with a laugh, "I'll take you into the house, Hal,and introduce you to a real nice little girl. She's heard of you. Shetold me so. Come on."