A BATTLE UNDERGROUND
under trampling feet, he fought fiercely, desperately in the clutch of Jones, uttering all the while the gutteral, savage growls of an animal. Back and forth they swayed, lurched against the man on the box, who cringed away from them, stumbled back to the center of the floor again. The ensign and Staples, their revolvers covering the others, watched the struggle for an instant. Then, just as Endicott joined them, Jones thrust a leg behind his adversary and sent him sprawling heavily. He was on him in the instant, astride his chest, pinioning his arms to the floor and the encounter was over. "Take that man's revolver, Troy," directed the ensign.
Nelson stepped across the prostrate enemy on the floor and approached the man who was standing. As he did so he tried to return his own weapon to its holster but found to his surprise and dismay that he could not raise it from where it hung at his side. So he used his left hand instead and took the revolver from the upstretched hand of the captive.
"Search him," said the ensign, and Nelson, giving the revolver to Endicott, went over him without finding any other weapon.
"Stand over there against the wall," com-
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