he had just emerged from a sanguinary encounter bare-handed in the Roman
arena with a leopard."

Dick glared at him.

"It was you who gave the alarm of fire, was it not?" asked Colonel
Winchester.

"Yes, sir. I saw the man who set the fires and I pursued him through the
garden and into the ravine that runs behind it."

"Your appearance indicates that you overtook him."

Dick flushed again.

"I did, sir," he replied. "I know I'm no beauty at present, but neither
is he."

"It looks as if it had been a matter of fists?"

"It was, sir. Both of us fired our pistols, but missed. Then we threw
our weapons to one side and clashed. It was a hard and long fight, sir.
He hit like a pile driver, and he was as active as a deer. But I was
lucky enough to knock him out at last."

"Then why does your face look like a huge piece of pickled beef?" asked
the incorrigible Warner mischievously.

"You wait and I'll make yours look the same!" retorted Dick.