his comrade for a response to his amusement, his expression
changed. "What is it your intention to do?" he demanded sharply.

Alwin had drawn himself into a sitting posture; and with one hand was
tugging at the handle of his knife. He flushed shamefacedly at the
question, nor did he look up as he answered it.

"I am going down to help the beast," he said. "I cannot remedy it if I
am a fool. I do not deny that Kark is a cur; yet he is white, as we are;
and alone. I cannot watch his murder."

He brought his knife out with a jerk; and putting it between his teeth,
prepared to turn and descend.

Before he could make the move, Rolf had swung down from the limb above
and landed beside him. Under his weight the boughs creaked so loudly
that, but for the cover of Kark's cries, the pair must surely have been
discovered.

The Wrestler spoke without drawling or gentleness: "Either you are a
child or a silly fool. Do you understand that it is your enemy that they
are ridding you of? What is it to you if he is chopped to pieces? You
shall not stir one finger to aid him."

Forgetful of the dagger between his teeth, Alwin opened his mouth
angrily. The weapon slipped from his lips and fell, a shining streak
along the tree-trunk, and buried itself noiselessly in the soft sod
between the roots. The next instant, a scarf from Rolf's neck was wound
around the Saxon's jaws; one of the Wrestler's iron arms reached about
him and gathered him up against the broad chest; one of the Wrestler's
great hands closed around his wrists like fetters of iron; and a
muscular leg bent itself backward over his legs like a hoop of steel. As
well fight against steel or iron!

Again Rolf's voice became fairly caressing in its gentleness. "Willingly
will I endure your struggles if it pleases you to employ your strength
that way, comrade; yet I tell you that it would be wiser for you to
spare yourself. I shall not let you go, whatever you do; whereas if you
lie quietly, I will permit you to move where you can see what is going
on. It looks as though it would become interesting."

It did indeed. At that moment, wearying perhaps of the howls, the brown
men began to make experiments with a view toward changing the tune.
Closing in upon the thrall, they commenced to feel of his clothing and
his shaven head, and to pinch him tentatively between their lean
fingers.

A redoubling of his outcries caused a spasm of frantic writhing in
Alwin's fettered body,