oulders, and decided
his best bet would be to stay away, but glancing around quickly he saw
there wasn't any room to retreat. The other prisoners were crowding
around, eager to watch the fight. Suddenly his opponent let out an
animal-like roar and jumped to pin him down on the deck.

The young cadet timed his move perfectly. As the man's body came down on
him, he threw up both legs and caught him in the pit of his stomach. Tom
could feel his feet sink deep into the man's mid-section as he kicked
out hard and sent him sprawling against the bulkhead. With a bellow of
rage, the hairy man picked himself up and charged back at Tom, who was
now on his feet, braced to meet him.

[Illustration: _The young cadet timed his move perfectly_]

As the prisoners began to roar, Tom side-stepped and back-pedaled
frantically, trying to get out of the impossible situation. If he won,
there would be questions for him to answer. Questions that would be
difficult and might betray his identity. But if he allowed Monkey to
win, he might die right there on the deck. The man was blind with rage
and would stop at nothing.

The man rushed in again and, unable to back away, Tom felt the hairy
arms close around him in the most powerful grip he had ever felt in his
life. Slowly, evenly, Monkey applied pressure. Tom thought his ribs
would crack. His head began to swim. The faces around him that laughed
and jeered suddenly began to spin around him dizzily.

Then, with the desperation of a man facing death, Tom began to push
outward, his arms under Monkey's chin. The man tried to apply more
pressure but the cadet fought him, forcing his head back farther and
farther. The prisoners were silent, watching the deadly battle. Then,
gradually, Tom felt the hairy man's grip relaxing. With the last ounce
of his strength he burst out of the encircling arms and staggered back.
The ape man looked at him stupidly and then down at his arms as if they
had betrayed him. With a roar, he came rushing in again. Tom set
himself, left foot forward, shoulders hunched, and when Monkey came
within arm's length, he swung with all the strength he had left in his
body. His fist landed on the point of Monkey's chin. There was a
distinct sound of crushing bone and Monkey sank to the deck, out cold.
Gasping for breath, Tom stood over the sprawled man and just looked at
him. The crowd around him was staring at the fallen man in disbelief.
Through the roaring in his head, Tom co