Harry found that he could not stand straight—–the pain in his injured foot was now too intense.
“Get back with you!” ordered Harry. “Get back if you don’t want a heap worse than you gave me.”
“Ha, ha! Ho, ho!” came the sneering laugh. Then the stranger reached out his hands as though to seize the youth.
“I guess I’ll have to do it—–though not because I really want to hurt you!” muttered Harry ruefully.
“Ha, ha! Ho, ho!”
There could be no question that the unknown was merely playing with him. Little as he liked to make the ugly throw Harry knew that he had to do it. When Hazelton had anything to do he believed in doing it well. So, putting all possible force into his throw, Harry let the rock fragment fly, and this time he was sure that his enemy would not be able to dodge in time.
Nor did the black man make any seeming effort to dodge.
Bump! Squarely in the black face the rock landed. Harry heard the sound and felt ill within himself. Yet the black man did not stagger. With a contemptuous snort he kicked the fragment of rock into the water as it landed at his feet.
“Ha, ha! Ho, ho!”
For the first time Harry Hazelton felt positively dismayed. He saw the long, massive arms moving, looking like a powerful ape’s arms. There could be no doubt that the unknown was ready for a spring.
Harry did not retreat. Where could he run to? Only a few yards could he go out towards the end of the wall. Then, if he wished to continue his flight he could only take to the water.
Only a glance was needed at the bulky, powerful frame of the unknown to make it appear certain that the latter could swim two rods to the young engineer’s one.
Harry decided instantly to stand his ground and to make the most valiant fight possible on so slippery a footing as that presented by the top of the retaining wall.
“Ha, ha! Ho, ho!”
It was as though the black unknown sought to terrify his intended victim with his repetitions of that harsh, discordant laugh. Harry braced himself and waited.
Then, off shoreward, came the sound of “put-put-put.” The motor boat, “Morton,” was putting out at last.
“If I can keep this fellow busy for a few minutes, I can have all the help I want,” flashed through Hazelton’s mind. So he opened his mouth, raising his voice in a long, pent-up hail.
“R e—–e—–e a d e! To—–o—–o—–om R e a d e! Quick! Hazelton!”
“Ha, ha!” jeered the unknown black.
Then, suddenly, he leaped—–not unexpectedly, however, for Harry had been watching, cat-like.
The unknown threw out his arms, seeking to wrap them around Hazelton.
Not in vain had Harry been trained, season after season, on the athletic ground of one of the best high school elevens in the United States.
As the fellow leaped at him Harry crouched lower and went straight at his opponent.