as honorable in order to win the victory.

The sight of that great brute abusing these two children whom a
misfortune had placed in his power was too much for him to stand. No
matter if a dozen races had to be forfeited, Fred could never run past,
and feel that he had done right.

None of the actors in the thrilling little drama had so far discovered
him, for he had come pattering softly along the road. He immediately
turned aside, and leaped straight for the spot, meaning to hurl himself
on the man, and endeavor to overcome him. The fact that Corny had been
drinking, and seemed a bit unsteady on his feet, was likely to aid Fred,
he believed. It would have been all the same had other conditions
prevailed, for the boy was fully aroused.

Although the girl had been crying so frantically, it had not been in
hopes of anyone hearing and coming to the rescue. She was simply trying
to influence the man to forego his use of that stick, with which he had
amused himself, making cruel welts upon the tender flesh of the
struggling and helpless boy.

Fred rushed upon Corny like a young whirlwind. The girl was the first to
notice his coming, and she could not help giving a cry of delight. This
it turned out was the worst thing that could have happened, for it must
have reached the ear of the man, warning him in time to turn and see
Fred.

The runner had gone too far now to hesitate, and so he continued his
forward progress. He sprang straight at Corny, and received a
half-hearted blow from the other, who was really too much surprised at
sight of the boy to get himself in full readiness.

They clinched, and struggled desperately. The man was of course much the
stronger of the two, but his condition took away considerable of this
advantage, so that after all the match was not so unequal.

Fred knew that his best chance was simply to push the other back by the
sheer weight of his attack, in the hope that Corny might catch his heel
in some upturned root, and measure his length on the ground.

The boy had been released, of course, for Corny needed both hands with
which to defend himself. Immediately the girl threw a protecting arm
around her gasping brother, and the pair crouched close by, watching with
startled eyes as the terrible struggle went on.

As it began to look as though their young champion might fail in his
attempt to subdue the ogre, the girl, who apparently had more spirit than
her brother, crept out and