But Gato snarled like a wild beast.  He was not armed.  With every man in these Bonista mountains afraid of him, Gato had never felt the need of carrying weapons.  But now he plunged to the doorway of the shaft house, then came bounding back, flourishing a knife that he had snatched from one of the peons.

“Back!  Back, Gato!” shouted Dr. Tisco, rushing from the office building.

To the secretary Gato paid no heed.  He was close to Tom now, circling cautiously around the young engineer.  Harry, though not at all minded to bolt, had stepped back far enough to give Reade elbow room.

“Stop, Gato!” shouted Don Luis.  “It is I who command it—­I, Don Luis.  Throw your knife on the ground.”

Gato snarled, but he was cowed.  The brutal manager held his employer in awe.  He was about to cast his weapon down when Tom Reade interposed.

“Don Luis, I ask you to let the fellow go on.  This question will have to be settled right before we can proceed.  This fellow is only a coward, or he wouldn’t need a knife in fighting with a man half his size.”

“Better throw away your knife, my good Gato,” purred Don Luis, “or Senor Reade will shoot you.”

“I won’t,” Tom retorted.  “I couldn’t, anyway.  I am not armed.  I never was enough afraid of any one to carry weapons.  But let Gato go on with his knife.  If he fails, then I shall hit him until my arm aches.”

“Stop, Senor Reade!  I command it!” cried Don Luis, imperiously.  “And you, Gato, throw down your knife.  I will not have fighting here among men who must be friends.”

But Gato, after hearing himself described as a coward, saw only red before his eyes.  He must have this Gringo’s life, and that quickly.  Afterwards he would explain and seek Don Luis’s pardon.

“If you prefer, Gato, we will shake hands and forget this,” suggested Tom Reade.

“Ah, so you are afraid?” sneered the mine manager.

“Try me and see, if you prefer that,” Tom retorted.

With a snarl Gato circled closer.  Don Luis Montez snatched from one of his pockets a silver-mounted revolver, but Hazelton caught the flash and in the next instant he had wrenched the pistol away from the mine owner.

“This is Reade’s fight, Don Luis,” Harry explained.

“Hand back my pistol instantly,” hissed Don Luis.

“Not until the fight is decided, Don Luis,” Harry rejoined.  Slipping the weapon into one of his own pockets he retreated a few yards.

Suddenly Gato sprang, the knife uplifted.  Tom Reade leaped in the same fraction of a second.  Tom’s shoulder landed under Gato’s right shoulder, and the knife did not descend.  Like a flash Tom bent as he wheeled.  Gripping the mine manager by the captured arm, Tom threw him forcefully over his own shoulder.  Pedro Gato landed, half-dazed, on the ground.  Tom, snatching the knife, hurled it as far as he could throw it.