e back of his shirt collar, it had been overlooked in the outlaws'
quick search. Pretending to remove his shirt, The Kid's right hand
went to his throat and closed on the handle of the knife.

Blacksnake, showing his teeth in a laugh of hate, stood a half dozen
feet away from him, swinging his cruel whip slowly from side to side,
waiting. He was holding the whipstock in his right hand, and that
favored the Texan. For in order to draw the gun that swung at his hip,
Blacksnake would first have to drop his implement of torture.

"Heah's wheah yo' get it!" snapped The Kid crisply.

Blacksnake's eyes bulged with sudden, startled terror, for he had a
glimpse of the shining blade for one brief instant. His whip hand
moved toward the butt of his gun. But he was too late. Kid Wolf could
draw and throw his bowie as swiftly as he could pull his firearms. It
flashed through the air--a streak of dazzling light! The fang of the
wolf was striking!

_Ping!_ The steel tore its way through the outlaw's right wrist. The
Texan's throw had been as true as a rifle bead. Blacksnake yelled and
tried to reach for his Colt with his left hand.

Then The Kid leaped in. Blacksnake was still squirming about and
clawing for his .45 when the Texan's first blow landed. Blacksnake was
burly, powerful. He weighed well over two hundred, and his shoulders
were as broad as a gorilla's. But his bullet head went back with a
jerk, as the Texan's hard fist thudded heavily on his cheek bone.

In the quick scuffle, the Big Colt slipped from Blacksnake's holster
and fell to the ground. With all his fury now, the outlaw was lashing
terrific, belting swings at Kid Wolf's head. The Texan dodged, elusive
as a shadow. He leaped in, bored with his right and jolted Blacksnake
from top to toe with a smashing left. The big outlaw staggered, then
jumped back and tried to scoop up his gun. His right hand was
helpless, however, and his left clumsy. His fingers missed it, and The
Kid hit him again, bringing Blacksnake to his knees, groggy-headed and
bleary-eyed. His hand closed over the whip. The stock was heavily
loaded with lead, and it was a terrible weapon when held reversed. One
blow from it could crush a skull like an eggshell.

"I'm a-goin' to brain yuh, Cotton-picker!" Blacksnake grated furiously.

He reeled to his feet, shook his head to get his tangled hair out of
his eyes and came in, whip swung back! Kid Wolf had no time to duck
dow