"Whoop!" roared Buckhart. "Wake up snakes and hump yourselves! Now there will be doings!" The fighting Texan seemed in his element. His face glowed with a sort of fine frenzy.

d.i.c.k Merriwell's eyes shone like stars. He laughed as he saw the bravos coming. It might be a fight to the death, but, with his blood bounding in his veins, he felt no thrill of dread. He was defending the innocent; his cause was just, and he gloried in the encounter.

The desperadoes flourished their gleaming knives, seeming to hope to intimidate the defenders in that manner. In truth, they were a savage-appearing set.

Reggio, too, was undaunted. The dauntless bravery of the boys was infectious.

There was little time to wait. Seeming to look at one man, d.i.c.k swung his club and smote another wretch over the head.

The fellow went whirling end over end down the stairs.

Buckhart dropped another in his tracks.

Reggio tried to get at Nicola Mullura.

"Come within reach of my arm, you dog!" he entreated. "America will lose one great man, who will return no more."

But it was another of the ruffians who tried to get under the guard of the gondolier and drive his knife home.

Reggio was too quick for the man. He struck and thrust his own blade through the fellow's forearm.

With a shriek, the wretch dropped his own blade, clutched his wounded arm, which quickly began to drip blood, and fell back against the man behind him.

"Oh! if you were looking for two kids who couldn't fight any, you're beginning to understand your mistake," shouted Buckhart.

Mullura urged them on. Still he continued to take pains to keep beyond the stroke of Reggio. The gondolier taunted him with cowardice, and begged him to come nearer. In his desire to get at his enemy once more, he forgot the peril of the others.

d.i.c.k saw a bravo strike at Reggio, but Merriwell struck at the same time. His club fell across the arm of the ruffian, which was broken.

In that moment, however, d.i.c.k exposed himself, and one of the ruffians, who had been struck down on the stairs, crept up and clasped him about the knees.

The boy was pulled off his feet. He seized his a.s.sailant as he fell, and together they rolled down the stairs. Of course Merriwell's club was lost, and he was compelled to fight the bravo hand to hand.

The man tried to get his fingers on d.i.c.k's throat. Now, although a boy, young Merriwell was a trained athlete, and in the finest condition possible. If that ruffian fancied he was dealing with an ordinary boy who could be handled easily, he met the surprise of his life.

For a time they twisted and turned there in the gloom at the foot of the stairs. The boy baffled the ruffian in his efforts, all the while seeking to secure the advantage himself.

While this was taking place d.i.c.k heard a cry of distress from Teresa, and at the same moment the candle and candlestick fell on the stairs, the light being extinguished.

At this juncture Merriwell obtained a hold on the ruffian's arm, giving it a twisting wrench that robbed the fellow of strength and nearly rendered him unconscious. In a twinkling the boy was the master.

Just then some one came hastening down the stairs and nearly fell over them. This person swore as he gathered himself up and rushed out on the steps.

Something led d.i.c.k to follow.

The darkness between the buildings was not as deep as that within, and he saw a man placing a huge bundle in a gondola that floated at the foot of the steps.

Something told d.i.c.k this bundle was Teresa. Unhesitatingly he leaped forward.

The man turned in time to meet the attack of the courageous lad. Just as d.i.c.k would have grappled with the fellow, he slipped. Before he could recover, he received a stunning blow that hurled him flat and helpless, although he was still conscious. He lay quite still, unable to lift a hand.

The man produced a knife, seemingly determined to finish the boy without delay. Although he realized his peril, young Merriwell could not lift a finger or make a move to save himself. As the desperado stepped toward him, the lad gave himself up as done for.

At that moment, unseen by the murderous thug, another dark form issued from the doorway onto the steps.

The man with the knife bent over d.i.c.k, lifting the weapon. A pantherish figure shot forward, and a club fell with crushing force on the head of the wretch, who was stretched p.r.o.ne and senseless beside his intended victim.

"This yere old table leg has sure done its duty tonight," said a voice that thrilled Merriwell.

With a supreme effort d.i.c.k softly called:

"Brad!"

"It is you, pard!" exclaimed the Texan, in delight. "I certain was seeking for you some! What's the matter? Are you hurt?"

"Give me a hand," urged d.i.c.k. "I was stunned. You saved my life, Buckhart. That fellow would have finished me only for you and your table leg."

In a moment Buckhart had d.i.c.k on his feet, supporting him with a strong arm.

"You're not cut up, are you, partner?" anxiously inquired the loyal fellow. "I saw you go b.u.mping down the stairs with one of the bunch, and I was a heap concerned for you. First opportunity I found I hiked to look for you. I thought mebbe that galoot with the sticker might be after you, and that's why I lost no time in cracking him on the kabeza."

"I don't think I've been cut. Couldn't tell just what did happen in the fighting, but I believe I'll be all right in a few moments."

"Then it's up to us to do something for Teresa. I sure would like to know what has become of her. The gang up there are hunting high and low for her."

"Why, one of them brought her down the stairs and placed her in this gondola. I'm sure of it."

"Great horn spoon! Then it's us to the gondola and away from here!"

"But Reggio?"

"We can't do anything for him."

"Why not?"

"They've finished him."

"Killed him? Do you mean that?"

"That's whatever. Teresa dropped the candle when she saw him knifed.

Didn't you hear her scream?"

"You're sure-you're sure Reggio was killed?"

"Dead sure, pard."

"Then let's get away in the gondola. If I was not mistaken in thinking this wretch placed Teresa in it, we can save her, at least."