s, the creatures were almost equally matched, though the
chances lay on the side of the stranger. It would be only a close
observer of beasts who would have marked not merely the depth of Kiopo's
chest, but the greater width of his skull between the eyes.

It was plain that Lone Wolf was in an ugly mood. The hairs along his
back stood stiffly, and his eyes gleamed like smouldering brands. In
Kiopo he saw the hated rival whose hunting lay so close to the borders
of his own range, and whose howling was a nightly challenge to the
lordship of Carboona. He was well aware that Kiopo was not a foe to be
slighted; but his repeated victories had made him insolent, and in the
present instance he was confident of success.

Kiopo too, was in a rage; partly because his right to exist had been
challenged by a powerful foe, partly because of the presence of Dusty
Star. The mere idea that any harm threatened the Little Brother was more
than enough to rouse him to a fury of fighting pitch. Rather than that a
hair of the Little Brother should be injured, he would fight to the
death. Yet in spite of his anger, he was wary. He had not fought
Stickchi in vain. His strong limbs gathered well beneath him, he bided
his time.

Suddenly, the Lone Wolf sprang.

Dusty Star caught his breath, and gripped his rock more tightly. The
fight had begun!

Kiopo was not caught napping. In a flash he jerked his body sideways, so
that Lone Wolf, instead of bearing him down as he had intended, and so
gaining the advantage, landed close on his left flank. And although his
fangs raked Kiopo's ribs, Kiopo replied at the same instant by a counter
slash that ripped his antagonist's shoulder.

The fight had started now in real earnest. It was a wolfish whirlwind of
motion. The two enraged animals bounded, slashed, gripped together, tore
themselves apart, in a series of movements so lightning-swift as to
baffle the eyes. When locked together, sometimes one would be on top,
sometimes the other; but their immense strength, and amazing agility,
made it impossible for either of them to hold the other down for any
length of time. And Lone Wolf soon learnt that, when Kiopo was on his
back, his methods were even more to be feared than when he was on his
feet; for it was then that his hind quarters came most successfully into
play. Those powerful quarters, fully armed with claws, were formidable
engines of war when directed against Lone Wolf's stomach. More than once