“Now,” he said, “I’ll give you an imitation of how I treat a dog like you.”

He backed Davis into a corner of the room by a series of single-arm feints and then struck out heavily.  Davis put up both arms to block the blow but it did him no good.  His guard was swept away as though it had been a feather and the heavy blow crashed through and caught him in the face.

Davis staggered back with arms covering his face protectingly and again Jack struck him heavily between the eyes.  Davis fell to the floor in a heap, where he lay whining.  Jack stood over him angrily.

“Get up!” he commanded quietly.  “Get up and fight.  I’m not through with you yet.”

Davis grovelled upon the floor, seeking to clasp the lad’s knees.

“Get up!” commanded Jack again.

Davis made no move to rise.

Jack stretched out his uninjured arm and jerked the man rudely to his feet.

“Put up your hands and fight,” he ordered.  “Don’t show yourself the dog you are!”

Davis did as Jack commanded and aimed a blow at the lad’s head.

Jack promptly knocked him down again.

A second and a third time this was repeated; but after the last fall
Davis grovelled and moaned like a whipped child.

Jack gazed down at him in disgust.

“And I hadn’t half begun,” he said angrily.  “However, I can’t stand here and knock down a man who will make no attempt to defend himself.  I am through with you now.  You can go.”

Slowly Davis raised himself to his feet and moved toward the door, looking furtively about as he did so.  As he reached the door, he sprang suddenly outside with a loud cry.  Jack sprang after him and seized his arm just in time to deflect a bullet he would have fired from a revolver he picked up without.

“I thought so,” said Jack grimly.  “I thought that was about your size.  I had it all figured out, only when it came to a show down I couldn’t do what I had intended.  I had intended to let you pick up your gun, and when you tried to shoot me, to kill you.  But I can’t do it.  Get out of here now before I change my mind.”

Davis started to move along the hall, but at that moment there were heavy footsteps upon the stairs and a moment later a figure in the full uniform of a German battleship commander stood before them.

“What’s the meaning of this?” he demanded in a harsh voice.

He glanced at the two quickly, and then realizing that he apparently was talking to a German naval officer, and his subordinate, he addressed Jack.

“You know his Imperial Majesty’s orders in regard to fighting with civilians?” he asked.

Jack could do nothing but bow.

“Then,” said the commander, “I shall have to place you under arrest!”

CHAPTER XXV.

DOOMED TO DIE.

It was a bitter disappointment to Jack, but he felt he could do nothing but submit.  True, he thought to himself, he could probably have attacked the German commander, and perhaps have overcome him; but there was Frank to be considered, and his own injured right arm.  No, he felt he could do nothing but submit.