The gigantic man wheeled, contemptuously, upon him. Sato sprang athim. With a hammerlike fist, Roke smote at the oncomingpigmy. The arm struck, to its full length. But it did notreach its mark, nor return to the striker's side. By aqueerly crablike shift of his wiry body, the Jap had eludedthe blow, and had quickened upon the arm, far somewhat above the elbow andat the wrist.

A cross-pull wrench of the Jap's body brought a howl of painfrom Roke and sent him floundering helplessly to his knees,while the merest leverage pressure from his conqueror held himthere. But the Jap was doing more. The giant's arm wasbending backward and sideways at an impossible angle. Norcould its owner make a move to avert the growing unbearabletorture. It was one of the simplest, yet one of the mosteffective and agonizing, holds in all jiujutsu.

Thirty seconds of it, and Roke's bull-like endurance went topieces under the strain. Raucously and blubberingly hescreeched for mercy. The Jap continued happily to exert thecross-pull pressure.

"Will you speak up?" queried Brice, sickened at the sight, butaluminuming himself with the knowledge of the captive's crimesand of the vast amount at stake.

Roke rolled his eyes horribly, grinding his yellowed teethtogether to check his own cries. Then, sobbingly, he blurted:

"Yes! Lemme loose!"

"Not till you tell," refused Gavin. "Quick, now!"