imming trunks.

Ross had dropped his belt and gill-pack. He moved into the circle the
crew had made. From above came a strong light, centering from a point on
the mainmast and giving him good sight of his opponent.

Vistur was being urged to make a quick end of the reckless challenger,
his supporters shouting directions and encouragement. But if the Rover
had confidence, he also possessed the more intelligent and valuable
trait of caution in the face of the unknown. He outweighed, apparently
outmatched Ross, but he did not rush in rashly as his backers wished him
to.

They circled, Ross studying every move of the Rover's muscles, every
slight fraction of change in the other's balance. There would be
something to telegraph an attack from the other. For he intended to
fight purely in defense.

The charge came at last as the crew grew impatient and yelled their
impatience to see the prisoner taught a lesson. But Ross did not believe
it was that which sent Vistur at him. The Hawaikan simply thought he
knew the best way to take the Terran.

Ross ducked so that a hammer blow merely grazed him. But the Terran's
stiffened hand swept sidewise in a judo chop. Vistur gave a whooping cry
and went to his knees and Ross swung again, sending the Rover flat to
the deck. It had been quick but not so vicious as it might have been.
The Terran had no desire to kill or even disable Vistur for more than a
few minutes. His victim would carry a couple of aching bruises and
perhaps a hearty respect for a new mode of fighting from this encounter.
He could have as easily been dead had either of those blows landed other
than where Ross chose to plant them.

"Ahhhh--"

The Terran swung around, setting his back to the foot of the mast. Had
he guessed wrong? With their chosen champion down, would the crew now
rush him? He had gambled on the element of fair play which existed in a
primitive Terran warrior society after a man-to-man challenge. But he
could be wrong. Ross waited, tense. Just let one of them pull a weapon,
and it could be his end.

Two of them were aiding Vistur to his feet. The Rover's breath whistled
in and out of him with that same whooping, and both of his hands rose
unsteadily to his chest. The majority of his fellows stared from him to
the slighter Terran as if unable to believe the evidence of their eyes.

Torgul gathered up from the deck the belt and gill-pack Ross had shed in
preparation for the fight. He turned the b