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diff --git a/old/62747-0.txt b/old/62747-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index aa32141..0000000 --- a/old/62747-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,6611 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Two American Boys in the War Zone, by -Levi Worthington Green - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll -have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using -this ebook. - - - -Title: Two American Boys in the War Zone - -Author: Levi Worthington Green - -Release Date: July 24, 2020 [EBook #62747] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TWO AMERICAN BOYS IN THE WAR ZONE *** - - - - -Produced by Demian Katz, Craig Kirkwood, and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net -(Images courtesy of the Digital Library@Villanova University -(http://digital.library.villanova.edu/)) - - - - - - -Transcriber’s Notes: - -Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). - -Additional Transcriber’s Notes are at the end. - - * * * * * - -By Worthington Green - -TWO AMERICAN BOYS IN THE WAR ZONE. Illustrated. - -THE BOY FUGITIVES IN MEXICO. Illustrated. - -HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY - -BOSTON AND NEW YORK - - * * * * * - -TWO AMERICAN BOYS IN THE WAR ZONE - - * * * * * - -[Illustration: STOP, RAY! THEY’RE GOING TO SHOOT!] - - - - -TWO AMERICAN BOYS IN THE WAR ZONE - - - BY L. WORTHINGTON GREEN - - WITH ILLUSTRATIONS - - [Illustration] - - BOSTON AND NEW YORK - HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY - The Riverside Press Cambridge - 1915 - - * * * * * - -COPYRIGHT, 1915, BY L. WORTHINGTON GREEN - -ALL RIGHTS RESERVED - -_Published October 1915_ - - * * * * * - -TO GLADYS - -WHOSE OWN WORK SERVES AS AN INSPIRATION - - * * * * * - -NOTE - -In writing this story the author has been indebted, for suggestions of -local color, to George Kennan’s illuminating article in the _National -Geographic Magazine_, “An Island in the Sea of History,” to Stephen -Graham’s fascinating book, _A Vagabond in the Caucasus_, and to Ruth -Kedzie Wood’s excellent guide, _The Tourist’s Russia_. - - - - -CONTENTS - - - I. THE JOURNEY TO RUSSIA 1 - - II. THE ARREST 14 - - III. THE FLIGHT DOWN THE VOLGA 26 - - IV. AN INVOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTION - TO THE RUSSIAN ARMY 39 - - V. NIGHT PROWLERS 53 - - VI. A DESPERATE ENCOUNTER 64 - - VII. A LESGHIAN JAIL 75 - - VIII. AN ESCAPE 86 - - IX. A CHASE 101 - - X. IN HIDING 112 - - XI. WITHOUT WATER 125 - - XII. RESTING 139 - - XIII. THEIR FIRST GAME 151 - - XIV. LESGHIAN HOSPITALITY 162 - - XV. A BLOCKADE 176 - - XVI. SNOWED UNDER 188 - - XVII. AN ARCTIC CAMP 199 - - XVIII. FROM MIDWINTER TO MIDSUMMER 211 - - XIX. GOOD-BYE TO RUSSIA 224 - - XX. A GREAT DISASTER 240 - - XXI. CASTAWAYS 256 - - XXII. A RESCUE 270 - - * * * * * - -TWO AMERICAN BOYS IN THE WAR ZONE - - - - -CHAPTER I THE JOURNEY TO RUSSIA - - -After the Porter brothers, Sidney and Raymond, had escaped from Mexico -in their flight from Mexican rebels, they proceeded as rapidly as -possible to their El Paso home. There they found their father, who had -succeeded, several weeks before, in reaching El Paso from Chihuahua. - -Mrs. Porter declared that the boys should then remain at home, at least -until they had ceased to be boys. She said that her nerves were not -equal to another such strain as they had endured while the boys were -in the wilds of Mexico, and that she would have no more wandering in -dangerous foreign lands. - -Her husband reminded her, however, that there seemed to be nothing -in the boys’ recent adventure that would justify so drastic a -prohibition. The boys had successfully made a difficult journey -without harm, and had proved that they were quite able to take care -of themselves under unusual conditions of great danger, as he had all -along maintained that they were. - -There was no question, though, of their going back to the Mexican mine. -The entire State of Chihuahua was so unsettled by the frequent changes -of the revolution that even Mr. Porter admitted it would be the wildest -folly to attempt to return there. So the boys entered the El Paso -High School for the rest of that year and the next, and their father -gradually reconciled himself to the idea of losing his entire Mexican -investments. - -It was difficult for Mr. Porter to settle down quietly at home, where -he had no regular business, and, moreover, he possessed in a high -degree the American mania for travel. The result was, that one year of -inactivity was as much as he could endure, and as the second summer -approached he began to long for a change of scene. Being cut off from -his accustomed Mexican stamping ground, he was forced to look farther -afield. One day he read an account of the great Russian Fair at -Nizhni-Novgorod and that reminded him that he had long wished to visit -that wonderful mart. So he proposed that the entire family should make -the trip. It would, he said, be a liberal education for the boys, and -it was providential that the date of the Fair and their summer vacation -exactly coincided. - -Mrs. Porter was plunged in despair at the proposal, for to penetrate to -the interior of Russia seemed to her like invading one of the wildest -and most impossible countries on earth. In vain her husband assured her -that Russian hotels were notoriously comfortable, and that, indeed, to -attain comfort in every department of his living was the ideal of the -Russian. To begin with, there was no more delightful course of ocean -travel than that supplied by the steamers of the Russian-American line -from New York to Libau. And to visit any of the peaceful countries -of Europe was a very different matter, anyway, from a journey in -strife-broken Mexico. Mr. Porter was obliged to admit that it would -necessitate a long journey, but he was sure every part of it would be -so delightful that his wife would never regret having gone. - -Mrs. Porter was not in the least convinced, but experience had taught -her that when her husband once fixed his mind on a thing he seldom gave -it up, so she proposed a compromise. She would make one of the party -as far as New York, but would remain there with her sister, whom she -had long wished to visit, until Mr. Porter and the boys returned in -September. - -The boys were clamorous that their mother should go with them, and -reminded her of the Eastern silks and rugs which she would undoubtedly -see, and might buy, at the Fair. They also made a great deal of the -delightful long voyage, knowing their mother’s enjoyment of the water; -but Mrs. Porter remained firm, and it was finally arranged as she had -suggested. - -In a very short time, really, though it seemed an age to the impatient -boys, they were on the pier in New York ready to board the fine steamer -Kursk for Libau, Russia. Mrs. Porter gave the boys final instructions -about their clothes, and told them just where, in their trunk, she had -placed the box of sewing materials. The boys, besides being crack shots -with the rifle and six-shooter, an accomplishment which they had found -so valuable in their Mexican adventure, could replace missing buttons, -sew up ripped seams, and even put on patches, if necessary. - -“Oh,” said Raymond, “I _wish_ we had brought our rifles, though I don’t -suppose we should be allowed to use them anywhere. But, mother, if we -_should_ get switched off into mountains where we couldn’t send you -word, you mustn’t be alarmed if you don’t hear from us for a long time.” - -“If I thought anything of that sort would happen,” said his mother with -a worried look, “I should refuse now to let you go.” - -“Ray is talking wild, as usual,” said Mr. Porter. “We are going by -rail direct from Libau to Nizhni-Novgorod, and then back by way of St. -Petersburg. I imagine there will not be much chance for a wild mountain -trip on that route.” - -“I wish it were a mountain trip, though,” said Raymond. - -“I guess we’ll have to travel in a civilized way this time, Ray,” said -his brother, “and I believe I shall enjoy it more.” - -“I am sure,” said Mrs. Porter, “there will be no war, as there was in -Mexico, so I don’t see how you can get into any trouble.” - -“Of course we shall not get into any trouble, my dear,” replied her -husband. - -“I told father,” said Sidney, “that we ought to go through Germany, to -give him a chance to use his German.” - -Mr. Porter’s mother had been a native German, and she had insisted -that her boy, during his childhood at home, should speak her tongue. -Learning the language in that way he had never known any difference -between it and English. He had not, however, been as wise as his -mother, and had not taught it to his own boys. - -“I should like to do that,” said Mr. Porter, “but it would take too -long; you boys would not get back in time for school.” - -“Which wouldn’t bother me any,” declared Raymond. - -The last good-byes were finally said and the travelers stood on deck -waving their handkerchiefs to Mrs. Porter on the fast-receding pier. - -While the boys had been great travelers by land, they had never before -made a long ocean voyage and the novel scenes and sensations were of -constant interest to them. The greatest interest began, however, after -the ship had traversed the English Channel and had passed through -the Strait of Dover into the North Sea. There the ships which they -encountered were numerous and made a pleasant variety after the broad -expanse of the Atlantic. - -On the eighth day after leaving New York they made the port of -Rotterdam and the boys could give a day to quaint Dutch scenes. Then -came the delightful voyage up the North Sea, around the north end -of Denmark, through the narrow strait into the Baltic and to their -destination, Libau, three days packed full of pleasure and charm. - -With the Great Fair in prospect there was little in Libau to detain -the travelers and at the earliest possible moment they were aboard a -train for Nizhni-Novgorod with three days of what they feared would be -tiresome travel ahead of them. But the boys found, to their delight, -that in the first-class coach they were given a compartment for three. -As Raymond said,-- - -“It’s just like having a private car.” - -“And we even have our own bedding,” said Sidney, “which makes it still -more private.” - -They had followed Baedeker’s instructions and had provided themselves -with traveling-rugs and pillows, which is the wisest course to pursue -on Russian railways. - -However, even the charms of a private car may become tiresome, and all -the party were glad when, on the afternoon of August 1, their train -pulled into Nizhni-Novgorod. That city is situated along the right -bank of the Volga River, and of its great tributary, the Oka. The most -important part of the city is on the high bluff that borders the two -rivers along that side, and the hotel which our travelers selected was -on the bluff near the Kremlin. - -Climbing the bluff in a cab they had tantalizing glimpses of the -magnificent view, and the boys did not want to go into the hotel until -they had seen more of it. Their father, however, suggested that they -had better help him select rooms. When that was accomplished and they -were alone Mr. Porter said,-- - -“I asked you to stay, boys, because I want to arrange an important -matter. I think I should make a better disposition of our money; it -does not seem to me wise for me to carry it all.” - -“I don’t want to be bothered with money, father,” expostulated Raymond. - -“I think you ought to have a reasonable amount, though,” said his -father. “You might want some badly when you were not with me.” - -“I would rather have some,” said Sidney. “We should have been up a -stump in Mexico, Ray, if we hadn’t been able to use Ramon’s money.” - -“What I propose is this,” said Mr. Porter: “I will turn over two -hundred dollars to you, Sidney, and one hundred dollars to Raymond. I -will keep a couple of hundred myself and will place two hundred dollars -in the trunk. I think I had better divide my express checks with you, -Sidney, too, and I will place a portion of those in the trunk.” - -“Now that’s fixed up, let’s hurry out,” urged Raymond. “I want to see -that view before dark.” - -Mr. Porter insisted on dividing the money and checks first, but when -that was done they went out to the Alexander Gardens, near by. - -While there are high bluffs along the right banks of the Volga and the -Oka, on the opposite side extend level plains. From the Gardens the -travelers saw at their feet the two broad rivers, and on the peninsula -formed by the junction of the two streams was situated the great -temporary city of the Fair, connected with Nizhni-Novgorod by a bridge -of pontoons, transitory, like the community it served. - -Beyond the Volga stretched plains, farther than the eye could reach -toward the Urals, hundreds of miles of cultivated fields and meadows. - -“Gee!” exclaimed Raymond, “that looks like Russia, all right, without -any limit.” - -“It is evident that one must travel in Russia,” said his father, “to -comprehend the size of the country.” - -“Those plains look broader, somehow, than our own Western prairies,” -said Sidney, “but I guess it’s because we know they are bigger, for -often we can’t see across ours.” - -Near them stood a gentleman who was also regarding the view. He must -have understood what had been said in English, though he turned to Mr. -Porter and spoke in German. - -“We Russians are used to vast expanses of country, and a view like this -has a great charm for me. I have often wished that I might see the -American plains; they must be wonderful.” - -“The American plains, no less than the American mountains, are -wonderful,” replied Mr. Porter in German. “But then, America is a -wonderful country.” - -“And the Americans are a wonderful people,” said the stranger. “They -have accomplished marvels in an incredibly short time. Are many of them -linguists like yourself?” - -“I can hardly be called a linguist,” replied Mr. Porter. “I speak only -German besides English. My mother was German.” - -“Ah, your mother was German?” - -“Yes,” said Mr. Porter, surprised at the rather significant tone of the -stranger’s voice. - -A policeman who stood a short distance away, approached in response to -an almost imperceptible signal from the gentleman and placed himself at -Mr. Porter’s side. - -“Will you have the kindness to come with me?” said the gentleman; -“there is some business that I wish to transact with you.” - -“But, my dear sir,” said Mr. Porter, “why should I go with you, who are -a stranger to me? I must beg you to excuse me.” - -“I am sorry that I cannot accept an excuse,” said the other, very -courteously; “it is absolutely necessary that you should go with me.” - -Mr. Porter saw that he was probably being placed under arrest, and -concluded it was for political reasons of some sort. Though he believed -that any objection on his part would be futile, he determined to make -an attempt to at least obtain information. - -“I beg of you the favor of an explanation,” he said. - -“I cannot give you an explanation,” replied the other, “and I must -request you to come with me at once.” - -“I have a passport issued from the office of the Secretary of State, at -Washington.” - -“That will be examined later.” - -“May I not appeal to the American Consul, if there be one here?” - -“The United States has no representative here.” - -“Well, sir, I suppose at least my sons may go with me.” - -“It is not desired to detain the young men,” replied the gentleman with -considerable impatience. “You must come with me at once.” And he said -something in Russian to the officer, who stepped up and placed a hand -on Mr. Porter’s shoulder. - -“Sidney,” said Mr. Porter as he was being led away, “I am arrested, -but this man will not tell me why. I believe I can clear myself of -any suspicion, but of course I can’t be sure. You boys go back to the -hotel and I will try to send you word. Don’t follow me, it would not be -allowed. Good-bye; keep a stiff upper lip.” - - - - -CHAPTER II THE ARREST - - -Sidney and Raymond, not understanding anything that was said, had -listened in great suspense to the conversation between their father and -the stranger. At first they had supposed the gentleman’s remarks were -merely politely casual. They were made uneasy when he began to show -impatience, and when the policeman stationed himself at their father’s -side their wonder and fear grew. They recalled tales of arbitrary -Russian political oppression, and imagined they were all about to -be thrown into a dungeon. Their dismay was hardly allayed by their -father’s brief explanation as he was hurried away, and there was only -time for Sidney to call after him,-- - -“Don’t worry about us, father.” - -When Mr. Porter had disappeared with the officer, and the man who was, -apparently, the officer’s superior, the boys were left gazing at each -other in consternation. The whole affair had occupied so little time -that they were dazed, and could hardly believe that it was reality and -not a dream. - -“Wouldn’t that jar you, Sid!” exclaimed Raymond finally. “What do you -suppose they have arrested father for?” - -“I can’t imagine,” replied Sidney. “It must be a mistake. I am sure he -will be released right away.” - -“I guess mother was right when she thought Russia was a dangerous -country; here we’ve come straight from the ship without stopping -anywhere, and couldn’t have done any mischief if we had wanted to, and -yet father has been arrested before we have been here an hour.” - -“Well,” said Sidney, “it will probably come out all right, and we will -be laughing about it to-morrow. But we’d better go back to the hotel, -so if father sends a message we shall be there to receive it, or maybe -he will come himself.” - -With that idea to encourage them, the boys hurried back to the hotel -and went directly to their room. Mr. Porter had selected connecting -rooms, and their one trunk was placed in the room which he had expected -to occupy. When the boys entered they found a man in uniform directing -the removal of the trunk by two porters. - -“Has my father sent for his trunk?” asked Sidney eagerly. - -“Yes,” said the officer with an amused smile, and in English with a -strong foreign accent, “he has sent for the trunk.” - -“Did he send us any message?” - -“No; he sent no message.” - -Meantime the men had carried the trunk out into the corridor, and the -boys followed in their eagerness to get news of their father. The -officer turned and said sharply,-- - -“Do not follow. Remain here.” - -The boys stopped with the sensation of having received a blow, and -returned to their rooms feeling very forlorn. There everything looked -cheerful and homelike. The windows were suffused with the soft light -of late evening in a high latitude, and the prevailing aspect was so -peaceful that they were more than ever inclined to think they were -dreaming. When they looked about them, however, and saw the trunk was -gone, the reality of the situation returned. When they had come from -the train the traveling-rugs and pillows had been thrown across a -couch, and there they still lay, not having been noticed by the men who -took the trunk. Mr. Porter’s handbag was gone, but a small one which -Sidney had carried was on the dresser in the boys’ room. That bag and -the rugs were all that remained of their belongings. - -“I don’t believe father sent for his trunk,” said Raymond; “the -authorities have simply seized it.” - -“I’m afraid that is so,” replied Sidney; “but I can’t think of any -reason unless there has been a mistake, and father has been taken -for some one else. Let’s go down to the office; the man there speaks -English, and we may learn something.” - -Accordingly they descended to the office and found the English-speaking -clerk. - -“Do you know the officer who just went out with our trunk?” asked -Sidney. - -The clerk looked at him hesitatingly for a moment without replying; -then after a cautious glance about the lobby, where there happened to -be no one within hearing, he said,-- - -“You are not Germans, are you?” - -“Of course not,” replied Sidney; “we are Americans.” - -“But your father speaks German.” - -“Yes, he does, but we don’t. His mother was German.” - -“Ah!” and the man shook his head dubiously; “Germans will not be safe -in Russia now.” - -“But we are not Germans,” protested Sidney. “Anyhow, why should they -not be safe here now?” - -“On account of the war.” - -“I didn’t know there was a war.” - -“Germany declared war on Russia to-day.” - -“That’s just what is the matter, Ray!”--and Sidney turned to his -brother excitedly. “They think father is German because he speaks the -language. But they must have known before that he speaks German, for -that man who spoke to him in the park must have had everything arranged -to arrest him.” - -“Don’t you remember, Sid, that father replied in German to a man who -asked him some question when we left the train?” - -“Yes, I believe he did. I am greatly relieved, Ray, for I am sure -father can prove he is American. He will show his passport and that -will settle it.” - -“Your father’s passport is here in the safe,” said the clerk. - -“Did the officer who arrested father see it?” - -“Yes, he examined it before he followed your father to the park.” - -“And yet they arrested him!” exclaimed Sidney. - -“Many Germans,” said the clerk, “will be coming from America now, and -some might come directly here as spies.” - -“Do you mean they have taken my father for a spy?” And a vision of -Major André of Revolutionary times rose before the horrified boy, whose -face turned pale at the thought. - -“I do not know,” said the clerk, looking with pity at the distressed -boys; “but I would advise you to wait quietly and your father may -return in the morning.” - -That seemed to be good advice and the boys determined to follow it. It -was then time for dinner and they tried to eat something, but with poor -success. They were so uneasy about their father that they could hardly -think of anything else, and they had not yet begun to consider what -they, themselves, should do. All thought of the Great Fair, which they -had come so far to see, had entirely left their minds. Their trouble, -however, did not prevent them from sleeping well, and when they went to -bed they knew nothing more until long past daylight the next morning. - -After such a night’s rest things did not appear so bad to the boys as -they had seemed the day before, and they ate a hearty breakfast. Then -they hunted up the English-speaking clerk again, for they had received -no message from their father. That person could tell them nothing -and they went out on the street. The evening before they had noticed -nothing unusual in conditions, or if there had appeared to be great -activity, they had supposed it was only the ordinary business of the -city. With their knowledge that war had been declared, however, the -boys plainly perceived an air of suppressed excitement everywhere. -Automobiles raced through the streets, and the boys noticed that the -cars always carried men in uniform. Private automobiles seemed to have -strangely disappeared, and the boys did not know that all such cars had -been commandeered by the Government. - -There were groups of people talking earnestly on the streets, but not -a word that the boys heard could they understand, and they felt very -much out of everything and very forlorn. In their far Southwestern -home their ability to speak Spanish besides their native English had -been all that they ever needed, but in Nizhni-Novgorod both English -and Spanish seemed to be unknown. They felt finally that they could -no longer endure the suspense of not knowing what was being done, and -determined to return to the hotel and seek their English-speaking -friend again. - -“Has our father sent us any message?” asked Sidney when they had found -the clerk. - -“No,” replied the man; “we have heard nothing from him, and I think -you young gentlemen ought to leave the city at once. If you stay much -longer you may not be able to get out of the city at all.” - -“How can we go,” cried Raymond, “and leave our father here in prison?” - -“You cannot help him by remaining,” said the man; “and when he is -released he will come here and will learn where you are gone.” - -“I think that is right, Ray,” said Sidney; “and I am sure father would -want us to get away where we shall be safe. We had better take the -first train back to Libau and then sail for New York by the first ship. -Mother must be feeling pretty anxious, for she probably knows a good -deal more about the war than we do. When is there a train for Libau?” ---and Sidney turned to the clerk. - -“You cannot go to Libau; the Government has taken all trains to -transport troops. You cannot go either west or north from here.” - -“Then we can’t get away at all,” declared Raymond petulantly. “Why did -you advise us to go?” - -“You can go by boat down the Volga and across the mountains to the -Black Sea. You would be almost sure to find either American or English -ships there.” - -“Would it be difficult to cross the mountains?” asked Sidney. - -“Not very; there is an excellent road by the Dariel Pass, the Georgia -military road. I have been through there.” - -“But how are we going to get away?” asked Sidney dolefully. “I have -heard that one cannot move a step in Russia without a passport, and -we can’t take my father’s passport, for he will need that when he is -released.” - -“No,” said the clerk; “we could not let you have this passport, which -is made out in your father’s name, but I think I would be allowed to -take it down to the boat and show it to the purser, who would probably -be satisfied with that.” - -“What should we do when we had to make a change, and would need to show -a passport again?” - -“There are steamers here that bring up petroleum from the Caspian ports -of the Caucasus. Some of them carry passengers, and I think I can find -a boat that will take you directly to Petrovsk where you would leave -the Caspian to go across the mountains. By one of those boats you would -not have to make a change, and showing your passport once would be all -that was necessary. Those steamers are not so fine as the regular -passenger boats, but they are comfortable.” - -“It seems pretty bad, Sid,” said Raymond, “for us to run away and leave -father here in prison.” - -“I know it does, Ray, but I believe he would want us to go. If we could -help him by staying I shouldn’t think for a minute of going, but we -should probably only be a burden to him after he gets out. If we reach -home, perhaps we can help him more there.” - -“I think you should go at once,” said the clerk; “we can’t tell what -may happen before to-morrow. Already twenty of the waiters and porters -have been taken from the hotel to serve in the army.” - -“There is one thing, Ray,” said Sidney; “we must first cable mother in -New York what we are going to do. I don’t believe we had better tell -about father, though, except to say that he has been detained here.” - -“I am sorry,” said the clerk, “but it is not allowed to send any -private telegrams out of the country.” - -“Could letters be sent out?” - -“Oh no; I am sure the German fleet in the Baltic will intercept all -mail.” - -“The only thing we can do apparently,” said Raymond, “is to get out -ourselves, if we _can_ do that.” - - - - -CHAPTER III THE FLIGHT DOWN THE VOLGA - - -The boys were not sure that they were really going to be allowed to -leave Nizhni-Novgorod until the boat had actually started on its voyage -down the river. Even then they feared that it might be stopped and -they would be taken off and thrown into a Russian dungeon. When they -found, however, that they were truly leaving the city where their -father was held in some sort of mysterious restraint, his plight seemed -more dreadful to them than it had before. The thought that they were -deserting him when he might be in great danger made them so miserable -that they almost determined to ask to be put ashore and then to make -their way back to the hotel and stay quietly there until their father -was released or they received a message from him. - -“It makes me feel positively sick,” said Raymond, “when I think we are -leaving father in an awful Russian prison.” - -“It does me, too,” said Sidney, “and I’ve a good mind to go back.” - -“I expect it would be pretty tough, though, Sid, to stay at the hotel, -maybe for weeks, without hearing from father.” - -“And then when he got out perhaps we shouldn’t be able to leave the -city at all, and mother would think we were all killed.” - -“That’s so,” said Raymond; “if we reach some place where we can -telegraph, it will be a great relief to mother.” - -“You know, Ray, when father was shut up in Chihuahua by the rebels he -sent us a message to get home the best way we could, and said he could -depend on us to take care of ourselves. I believe he would want us to -do the same thing now.” - -“I guess that’s right, Sid, and we are doing the best thing after all.” - -When the matter was finally settled and the boys had decided that they -were doing the right thing, they felt easier in their minds and were -able to enjoy the strange sights on the boat. Their cabin, in the bow -on the upper deck, was very comfortable, and with their soft rugs and -pillows they made up an excellent bed, for on Russian steamboats and -trains bedding is not supplied without extra charge, so most travelers -take their own. - -While the boat was classed as a freight carrier there were really a -great many passengers, and all were Russian, or people under Russian -rule. Many of the latter were decidedly Eastern and gave a very -Oriental atmosphere to the scene. - -Down on the lower deck, squatting about on the floor playing various -games, were many brown-clad Tatars, their brown garb extending even -to the heavy brown cloth head-coverings. Less socially inclined were -gaunt Kalmucks with shaven heads. All showed their Mongolian origin -by their narrow, slant eyes. Of Mongolian origin also, but Russian in -appearance, were several Mordvin families going back to their homes in -Simbirsk and Samara. These people, as well as nearly all the Russians, -were preparing their afternoon potation of tea, made from pressed tea -bricks and hot water which they obtained from the waiters. - -The current of the Volga is very slow and even, the fall being slight, -and as the boat stopped only at large towns, which on the river are -widely separated, the boys on going to bed slept as soundly as they -would have done in their own home. - -On the right bank of the Volga there are usually bluffs, sometimes -quite high hills, while much of the country on the left bank is low and -flat. The boys spent the greater part of the next day lazily gazing -out over the level fields, or inspecting the villages past which they -steamed. - -On the third day, August 5, they reached the large city of Kazan, -where the boat stopped several hours to make a considerable change of -cargo. The boys stationed themselves near the gangplank to watch the -unloading, for the city is some five miles from the landing and they -thought it too far away to visit. There was a great deal of animated -talking between the men of the boat and the men on the wharf, and the -boys wondered if the Russian roustabouts were always so vivacious. -Presently one of the Russian sailors, whom they had not especially -noticed, addressed them in excellent English. - -“I suppose you young gentlemen don’t understand what these men are -saying.” - -“No,” said Sidney; “we don’t understand a word.” - -“They are talking about the war; it’s going to be a big fight.” - -“Then Germany and Austria will both fight Russia?” - -“Yes, but Russia is backed up by England and France.” - -“Has England joined in the war, too?” - -“She joined yesterday; she and France are Russia’s allies, and they are -bound to help her.” - -At that moment the officer in charge of the unloading called out -sharply and the sailor hurried along with his load. After the boat had -left the wharf at Kazan, the boys took every opportunity to speak to -the sailor, it was so pleasant to be able to talk English with some -one. They asked information about the country through which they were -passing, and about the strange people on the boat. The topic that -would have interested them most was the war, but the sailor could tell -them very little about that. The man, though a Russian, had served on -English ships, and had been in many English and American ports, in -that way learning to speak English well. In the course of the voyage -to Astrakhan the boys picked up many Russian words and phrases and soon -began to feel that they were prepared to travel anywhere in the empire. - -On August 8 the boat tied up to the wharf at Astrakhan, where the -English-speaking sailor gathered the news and imparted to the boys -the information that President Wilson had issued a proclamation of -neutrality. - -The boys soon began to notice that the people on the boat appeared -greatly interested in them, though at first they had attracted little -attention. After passing out on to the Caspian not only the captain but -other officers of the boat talked with them through their friend the -sailor, for it happened that none of the officers spoke English, as -would not have been the case on a boat in the regular passenger service. - -They told the circumstances of their trip very frankly to the captain, -who assured them that they need not be alarmed about their father, for -he would certainly be released, though he might be held some days. -All Russian officials, the captain said, would be extremely busy in -the mobilization of the army, but he was sure that Mr. Porter would -not only eventually be released, but would probably be helped back to -America. The captain informed the boys that the Government had wired -instructions to the chiefs of police in all towns where there was -likely to be any foreign travel, that all English, French, and American -travelers, but especially the latter, should be treated with the utmost -consideration, and should be assisted whenever possible. Such a message -had been received at Astrakhan. - -Sidney asked why Americans should be treated with greater consideration -than the citizens of other countries, and was told that it was because -the United States was the only great nation that had remained neutral, -and would probably continue to be neutral throughout the war. - -The boys became quite excited at that information, and imagined that -their father might even then be at liberty. Sidney declared that when -they arrived at Petrovsk he would try to reach his father with a -telegram, and if he succeeded they would return to Nizhni-Novgorod. - -The captain dashed their hopes, however, by telling them that all -telegraph lines had been monopolized by the Government, and that it -would be impossible to send a private message of any sort. He advised -the boys to continue as they had planned, saying that they would -probably reach home before their father. He said, moreover, that he -could be of great help to them at Petrovsk. - -When they arrived at that port, where the boys were to leave the boat, -the captain went with them to the chief of police, taking the sailor -along to assist in the conversation. He explained the state of affairs -to the official, and though no instructions concerning foreigners -had been received at Petrovsk, probably because that town was so -insignificant a place, the chief of police was finally convinced that -it would be his duty to help the boys to the extent of his power. The -captain assured him that he had seen the order sent to Astrakhan, and -he was certain the Petrovsk official would rue the day that he went -contrary to the spirit of those instructions. - -The boys had expected to proceed from Petrovsk by rail to Vladikavkaz, -and then by wagon along the Georgia military road through the Dariel -Pass to Tiflis. They had been told there was a daily automobile stage -through the pass, but feared that if they indulged in such luxury, they -would not have money enough to reach home, so decided to choose the -very much slower, but also very much cheaper, mode of travel. - -When the captain learned, however, that mobilization of the army -was being pushed so vigorously that the Dariel Pass would be filled -constantly with moving troops, he feared that it would not be safe -for the boys to attempt that route, and advised them to give it up. -He said they would be almost certain to encounter acts of aggression -by the soldiers, no matter how well disposed the officers might be. -The chief informed them there was another possible way of crossing the -mountains by trails that led almost directly south from Petrovsk. But -the mountains through which those trails passed were extremely rugged -and difficult, and the people who inhabited them were very rough and -sometimes even fierce. That it would be, in short, a dangerous road, -and he doubted if young boys who were strange to the country could -accomplish a passage. When those drawbacks were explained to the boys, -however, they declared that they were too familiar with mountains to be -scared by anything of the sort. Indeed, the mountain route looked very -attractive to them, and they immediately chose it. - -The captain thought if the boys were to pass through so wild a country -that they should have something in the nature of a passport which they -could show, and suggested that the chief of police should give them -one. As a result, probably accelerated by a fee of five rubles offered -at the captain’s suggestion, a paper was made out which stated that -Sidney Porter and his brother Raymond were returning to their home in -the United States on account of the war in which Russia was engaged, -and that all officials of Russian towns through which they passed -should help them on their way in obedience to an order received from -Petrograd. Signed by the “Chief of Police of Petrovsk, Province of -Daghestan.” - -The sailor read this paper to the boys so they would know exactly what -they were offering as a passport. When he came to the end Raymond -exclaimed,-- - -“Where in the world is Petrograd? I never heard of that place before.” - -The man could not inform him, for he had never heard of the place -either; but when he asked the captain, it was explained that the Czar -had just changed the name of St. Petersburg to Petrograd, on account of -the German origin of the former name. - -“Well, if they feel that way about everything German,” said Raymond, “I -don’t wonder they arrested father, who could speak the German language.” - -When that matter was arranged, the captain said that he must return to -the boat. He accordingly bade good-bye to the boys and embraced them -most affectionately. But he left the sailor with them until they should -have purchased horses and whatever of an outfit they needed for their -mountain journey. The boys learned from the sailor that the captain -remained in port several hours longer than he would otherwise have -done, solely to help them get started on their way. - -With the assistance of their friend the boys purchased two young, -spirited horses and high Tatar saddles. They also bought heavy boots, -horsehair cloaks, and saddlebags. Then they bade good-bye to the sailor -with hearty thanks for his aid, and went to the inn to get a good rest -in preparation for hard work the next day. - -There was a very passable wagon road as far as the provincial capital, -Timour Khan Shoura, and by getting an early start from Petrovsk the -boys hoped to cover that first stage of their journey in one day. -Accordingly, they made all final arrangements the night before so there -might be no delay in the morning. Their traveling-rugs and the new -horsehair cloaks they would tie behind the saddles, but the pillows -which they had brought with them down the Volga they could not carry -any farther. Those desirable accessories to a comfortable journey -they accordingly presented to the chief of police, who had taken so -active an interest in their welfare. The contents of their handbag -they transferred to the saddle-pockets, and the bag itself they gave -to the landlord of the inn, who also had been very attentive to their -needs and comfort, as far as his limited resources would allow. The -saddlebags were destined to hold also a limited supply of food, -consisting mainly of cheese and the hard bread of the country. - -The boys were on the road in the morning quite as early as they had -desired, and the new horses proved admirable under the saddle, though -almost too ambitious, requiring constant watchfulness. The immediately -surrounding country was barren and uninteresting, but in front the -ground rose gradually until, in the dim distance, it culminated in -the colossal wall of the Caucasus Range, which they must cross. The -principal objects of interest were the people, chiefly Tatars, whom -they met, or who passed them, dashing furiously ahead on their wiry -horses of the Steppes. - -The day wore on to late afternoon and the boys judged they were -approaching Timour Khan Shoura, when there appeared a considerable -cavalcade approaching them. There were a number of loose horses being -driven by half a dozen soldiers under an officer, who gave a command on -reaching the boys, and the soldiers drew up across the road, blocking -the way. - - - - -CHAPTER IV AN INVOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTION TO THE RUSSIAN ARMY - - -“We’re going to be robbed by bandits, Sid!” exclaimed Raymond when he -saw that they were about to be halted by the men in front of them. - -“They can’t be bandits; they must be soldiers, for they’re in uniform.” - -“I guess Russian soldiers would be as bad as bandits.” - -The officer, who, the boys thought, must be a lieutenant, said -something to them in Russian which of course they did not understand. -Then he made a motion which seemed to indicate that he wanted them to -dismount. “He is telling us to get off,” said Sidney. “I’m not going to -get off,” declared Raymond. “Show him your passport.” - -Sidney took out the passport and presented it to the officer, who -received and read it. He then returned it with a polite bow and with -a statement of which the boys understood only the words meaning -“government” and “army.” Still he motioned for the boys to get off -their horses. - -“We are Americans,” declared Sidney to the officer, “and are returning -home. The Russian Government has ordered that all Americans be helped -to leave the country.” The man replied in his own language, which was -Greek to the boys, and they concluded that he did not understand them -any better than they did him. - -When the officer saw that the boys did not obey his request he gave -an order to his own men, and one of the soldiers dismounted and took -Sidney’s horse by the bit, motioning to the boy to get off. - -“I tell you what, Ray,” said Sidney, “he’s going to seize our horses -for the Government to use in the army. See, some of those loose horses -have saddles, they’ve taken them away from somebody else.” - -“He’s not going to have my horse.” And Raymond dug his heels into the -horse and struck him with the end of the reins. The spirited animal -leaped forward and dashed to one side of the road to pass the little -group of mounted men and their herd of horses. The officer gave a sharp -order and the men whipped out their pistols. Sidney, when he saw the -threatening movement, shouted to his brother,-- - -“Stop, Ray! they’re going to shoot.” - -Raymond either did not hear or did not care, for he struck his horse -another blow and dashed past the obstructing group. Just as he reached -the clear road beyond, the officer gave another sharp order and the -soldiers fired a volley, all together. - -Sidney turned sick and faint, expecting to see his brother fall from -his horse pierced by half a dozen bullets. Instead, the boy pulled his -horse up with a jerk and took off his hat, which he examined ruefully. - -“They plugged my hat,”--and he exhibited a hole through the brim,--“but -if I had my pistol here I’d show them better shooting than that.” - -“What made you run, Ray?” Sidney remonstrated, who was trembling with -fright; “I don’t see how you escaped being killed.” “Pshaw! these -fellows couldn’t kill anybody. I’ll let them see how we shoot in Texas.” - -Raymond jumped off his horse, and going up to one of the soldiers took -hold of the pistol which the man was still holding in his hand, at the -same time asking him, of course in English, for the loan of it a few -minutes. The soldier looked inquiringly at his officer, who made no -comment, and the man yielded the gun. - -“Gee! if it isn’t a Colt .38.” And the boy gazed longingly on the -revolver. “That sure looks like home.” - -He held back the hammer and ran the cylinder around two or three times -in wistful admiration, then he picked up two small rocks and throwing -them into the air he fired twice in quick succession, shattering both -rocks while they were still high in air. - -There were exclamations of wonder from the soldiers, and the officer -said something which was apparently very complimentary. - -“I’ve just got to have that gun, Sid,”--and Raymond handled the -revolver lovingly,--“I’m going to see if I can’t buy it.” - -He took twenty rubles from his purse and holding the gold out to the -soldier, pointed to the revolver. The soldier looked covetously at the -money, but the officer shook his head, and taking the revolver from -Raymond he showed some letters cut in the barrel, which evidently -marked it as belonging to the Government. - -“They wouldn’t dare to sell government property,” said Sidney, “and -anyway we can’t spare money to buy guns.” - -“I suppose we can’t, but I’m thinking we may wish we had some before we -get through the mountains.” - -Raymond turned around to his horse, which he had left standing when he -dismounted to give his exhibition of shooting, and was surprised to -find that one of the soldiers had the animal in charge and had led him -over to the bunch. - -“Well, they’ve got my horse, all right. I guess you’ll have to turn -yours over too, Sid.” - -“I suppose so, but it’s certainly a shame.” - -Sidney dismounted and left his horse with the soldier, who still -retained hold of the bridle. The officer gave an order and two of the -men untied the rolls of blankets and cloaks from back of the saddles -and laid them on the ground. They then emptied the saddlebags and -placed the contents with the blankets, but did not remove the bags -themselves. The officer then made out and signed a paper which he gave -to Sidney, and which the boys assumed was a receipt for the horses. - -“You want to take good care of that paper, Sid,” said Raymond; “it will -be a fine souvenir of the trip, and I expect that’s about all it will -be good for.” - -When that was done the soldiers sprang into their saddles, rounded -up all of the loose horses, including the two which had so recently -belonged to the boys, and galloped off, the officer giving a courteous -salutation to the boys as they departed. - -Sidney and Raymond stood in the road and looked after their vanishing -steeds, then at the rolls of blankets which lay on the ground near -them. For a few minutes neither spoke, then Raymond said,--“We’re -stranded all right this time, Sid. This beats Lower California.” - -“It certainly does, and look at that range we’ve got to cross.” And -Sidney gazed doubtfully at the far Caucasus, whose northern heights -were white even at that distance. - -“I move we go back to Nizhni-Novgorod,” said Raymond, “and wait for -father.” - -“I don’t believe it would be wise to try that,” replied Sidney. “By -the time we reached the Volga probably all of the boats would be taken -over by the Government to carry troops; you remember the captain said -that Russia would mobilize more than five million men. We might not -even be able to reach Astrakhan. It seems to me the quicker we get into -the mountains the better, for I imagine they will take soldiers out of -those mountains only as a last resort.” “Well, it’s going to be dark -pretty soon, and we’d better hustle for this town ahead; what’s its -name?--Timmy Can Show you.” - -Sidney laughed, “I’m sure I hope Timmy can show us, for we may, like -the Missourian, need to be shown.” - -“It’s simply fierce that we’ve got to tote these things.” And Raymond -kicked the blankets vindictively. “And what are we going to do with the -plunder that came out of the saddlebags?” - -The saddlebags had not contained very much,--only the few things that -Sidney had carried in his handbag when they arrived at Nizhni-Novgorod: -a suit of pajamas for each of them, socks, handkerchiefs, brush and -comb, and their toothbrushes. Those few things, however, added to their -blankets and cloaks, seemed to Raymond to be the culminating straw. - -“We _must_ hang on to those pajamas,” continued Raymond; “they’ll be -great when we make our bed toilets on cold nights under the lee side of -a rock.” - -“I’ll tell you what they will be great for, Ray, and that is to put on -under our other clothes when the weather does get cold.” - -“Well, I suppose we’d better take them along,” said Raymond grudgingly; -“and we may as well start.” - -The small articles the boys crowded into their pockets, and each made a -long roll of his blankets and cloak, and carried it over one shoulder, -tying the ends together under the opposite arm. In that way the bundle -rode well, with very little inconvenience to the traveler. - -When their packs were arranged the boys started out, and passing -through a small ravine, on emerging into a broader valley, they were -cheered to observe the town which was the goal of their day’s journey. -For the capital of a large province like Daghestan, Timour Khan Shoura -appeared very insignificant, and when they reached the inn, they found -it to be primitive in the extreme. - -Sidney presented their passport to the landlord, who seemed properly -impressed, though it was plain that he could not read it. The news of -their arrival must have been spread very promptly, for immediately -there appeared men of all sorts and conditions, who apparently came -solely to view the travelers. In this crowd was the chief of police, -to whom the passport was turned over, and who seemed to consider it -satisfactory. He read the paper aloud, and its effect on the assemblage -was great. There was instantly a Babel of talk, and the boys were -familiar enough with the sound of Russian to know that a large part of -the conversation was in some other language. - -The chief of police asked them a long string of questions of which -they understood only an occasional word. Sidney assumed, however, that -the official was asking who they were, where they came from, and where -they were going, so he politely imparted that information, to Raymond’s -great amusement. - -“See how wise the old owl looks, Sid, and I’ll wager he doesn’t -understand a word you say.” - -“I hope he doesn’t understand a word you say. You ought to be careful, -Ray; we may sometime run up against a man who does understand English.” - -“I’d like to meet him now; his voice would sound good.” - -The chief looked at the boys while they were talking, with a certain -amount of suspicion, as though he thought they might be plotting -something revolutionary, then he asked another question, of which -Sidney caught the word for “horses.” - -“He’s asking if we have no horses,” said Sidney, and he related how -their horses had been taken, giving it all in English except the words -“government,” “army,” and “horses,” of which he knew the Russian -equivalents. - -The chief appeared to grasp his meaning without any difficulty, and to -be rather amused by it, for he made a remark to the surrounding men, -who all laughed, and the talking began afresh. - -“They think it’s a great joke,” growled Raymond, “that our horses were -stolen. Maybe they’ll lose some if they don’t look out.” - -“I expect they have lost some already,” said Sidney, “and that is the -reason they are so interested.” - -“Don’t you suppose, Sid, that we can buy horses here?” - -“I doubt it, and I don’t believe we had better buy more horses even if -we can get them, for we should probably lose them in the same way.” - -“But I don’t see how we are going to cross that range on foot, Sid. If -we only had a pack-mule now,--old Tuerto, for instance,--we should get -along fine.” - -“What seems the worst to me,” said Sidney, “is the time it will take.” - -“Yes, that will be bad; but I must say I don’t hanker after climbing -those mountains on foot, even if we had all the time there is.” - -“Well, I’ll ask about horses, if I can make them understand.” - -Sidney took some gold out of his pocket and showed it to the chief, -using the Russian word for “horses” and holding up two fingers. The -man shook his head and made a vigorous statement in which occurred the -familiar Russian words for “government” and “army.” - -“I guess he is saying that the Government has taken their horses too, -but I did a foolish thing to show that money.” - -“There are certainly some villainous faces in the crowd,” said Raymond. -“I think we had better buy guns.” - -“I don’t know but you are right, Ray. Suppose we buy one gun; I guess -we can spare money for that.” - -“We can better spare money for that than to lose all we have.” - -“Then we’d better go out and find one now, before it gets dark.” - -The streets of Timour Khan Shoura were so narrow and dark that the boys -feared they had waited too long as it was. They found, however, to -their great surprise, that the bazaars of the town were well stocked -with excellent guns, though their pattern was somewhat Oriental. They -did not know until afterward that many of the weapons were manufactured -there. - -After a short search they purchased a five-shot, .38 caliber revolver -with a silver-trimmed stock. The decorative part of the gun they would -have been willing to omit in order to save expense, but they could find -none simpler that satisfied Raymond. With the purchase of a box of -cartridges, five of which went immediately into the cylinder of the new -gun, Raymond said he felt more like himself. - -When they returned to the inn the landlord indicated that supper was -prepared, and after they had partaken of that they went to their room, -which was on the second floor. Sidney had been made rather nervous -when he thought about his mistake in showing money to the crowd of -strangers, and his first care was to assure himself that the room was -secure. He found to his relief that the window overlooked a clear space -with no other building near. The door was very solid, but the lock -appeared to be more ornamental than effective. - -“I don’t think much of that lock, Ray,” he said, “and I don’t want to -run the risk of a visit in the night from one of those men.” - -“We can soon fix that.” And Raymond dragged up the only chair, a very -heavy oak one, and braced it under the door handle in such a way that -the door could not be opened from without. They then swung the window -back for air, as there seemed to be no possibility of danger from that -quarter. - -“I’m going to divide my money,” said Sidney, “and you had better do -the same. We can’t tell what may happen on the road.” He knotted -the greater part of the gold which he carried in a handkerchief and -suspended it from his neck underneath all of his clothes. - -“Now, if we are held up, unless we are stripped, the robbers will think -the forty rubles I have left in my purse is all I have. It’s lucky -father insisted on dividing his money with us. If he hadn’t we should -not have any now to hide from robbers.” - -“We shan’t be so likely to be held up,” said Raymond, “now I have this -gun. I wish I had had a chance to show them the way I can use it. They -would have greater respect for me.” - - - - -CHAPTER V NIGHT PROWLERS - - -When the boys had disposed of their money, most of which they carried -to bed with them, and had barricaded the door, they went to bed with -a feeling of tolerable security. They were usually both very sound -sleepers, but Sidney had worried so over his ill-advised exhibition of -money that he slept very lightly that night, and was constantly rousing -to a half-wakened state. - -As he lay in an apprehensive half-slumber he dreamed that the captain -of the river boat had come to call on them and was trying to open the -door. But for some reason, which Sidney could not fathom, he could -neither admit the caller nor call out to him to come in. Suddenly he -wakened fully, and realized that there was some one really at the door. - -He listened intently and could hear a movement outside, as though a -person were cautiously manipulating the door handle. He took hold -of his brother’s arm and shook him gently. Raymond started up in bed -as though he had been dreaming too, but Sidney put his hand over his -brother’s mouth and said “Sh-sh.” - -The boys held their breath and listened. After a few moments there was -a slight grating sound and the fumbling ceased. Then the door strained -against the chair, which, however, held without sliding on the floor. -Whoever was attempting an entrance had, without doubt, succeeded in -shooting back the bolt of the lock, and had then tried to push the door -open, but had been balked by the chair. - -After it was discovered that the door was blocked on the inside, no -further noise was audible. Indeed, what noise there had been was so -slight that it would not have roused the boys if Sidney had not been -nearly awake and really expecting something of that sort. - -They sat up in bed and listened breathlessly for what seemed a long -time, then as they heard no sound, they lay quietly back on the -pillows. They did not talk, for they did not want whoever might be -lurking outside to know that they were awake. - -The door was on Sidney’s side of the bed, and the window on Raymond’s. -From the bed, as the boys looked out of the window, they looked -directly against the sky, which was clear and brilliant with stars. The -boys were too thoroughly aroused to go to sleep again, and lay there -thinking about the possible future dangers of a journey that had begun -so ominously, when they were conscious that the light from the window -was darkened. - -They turned their faces that way and saw the figure of a man outside -the open window. At first they thought he had climbed up from below, -but in a moment they saw that he was suspended by a thick rope from -above, and had without doubt let himself down from the flat roof of the -building. - -A dark hand grasped the window sill and the intruder was evidently -steadying himself for the entrance. Raymond seized his new revolver, -which he had placed under his pillow, raised on his elbow, and, taking -a quick aim, fired. The figure at the window disappeared, and there was -a heavy thud. - -“Oh, Ray!” whispered Sidney, “did you shoot him? I’m afraid we’ll get -into trouble for that.” - -“No, I didn’t shoot him; I only cut his rope and let him down gently.” - -“Did you aim for the rope?” - -“Sure thing.” - -Sidney lay back on the bed and shook with noiseless laughter. When he -was able to speak he whispered again,-- - -“I hope it didn’t jar him much when he struck the ground. He must have -been somewhat surprised.” - -“I have just noticed a thing that has surprised me,” said Raymond. - -“What is that?” asked his brother. - -“You don’t see that rope at the window any more, do you?” - -“No, I don’t.” - -“Well, after I cut it in two, the rest of it was drawn up. There was -somebody on the roof who let that fellow down. I believe the whole -caboodle of them were in on this thing.” - -“You did a good job, though, Ray, when you cut his rope. I imagine they -will all be careful how they come within range of your gun again.” - -“Yes, unless they think I tried to hit the man and couldn’t. Never -mind, maybe I’ll fool them next time.” - -The boys expected that some one would come to their room to inquire -about the shooting, and they waited in some apprehension, but no one -came. There was no more sleep for them, and they lay in bed wide awake. -Presently the dawn flushed the sky and the light intensified until it -was day. Then the boys got up and dressed, and by the time that process -was concluded the muezzin’s call to prayers sounded from a near-by -mosque. The faithful were putting up their petitions in preparation for -the activities of the day. The boys descended from their room, and were -greeted with most obsequious politeness by the landlord, who placed -before them an appetizing breakfast. - -“I wonder if his sleep was disturbed last night,” Said Raymond. “Isn’t -he an innocent old sinner?” - -“Perhaps he didn’t have anything to do with it,” suggested Sidney. - -“Don’t you believe it. If he had been surprised by the commotion, he -would have tried to find out what it was.” - -“I guess maybe shooting, and perhaps shooting men, too, is so common -here that no one notices it.” - -“But we haven’t heard any shooting at all,” said Raymond, “except what -I did.” “That’s so,” replied Sidney. “Perhaps they were so attracted by -the possibilities of my purse that they forgot everything else.” - -“They’ll have to make another try for that purse. I suppose that we’ll -have to pack some grub now, and that’ll be no fun.” “I guess we’ll have -to,” replied Sidney, “if it’s nothing more than bread and cheese. I -don’t know whether we’ll find a village very often or not, and we must -be prepared to camp out if necessary.” - -After breakfast they went out to a bazaar and bought two small leather -pouches, in which they placed a little food and the few small articles -they had to carry. The pouches they slung over their shoulders with the -blanket rolls above. Then they were ready to begin their tramp, and the -undertaking, when it was close at hand, seemed so formidable that their -courage almost failed them. It was necessary for Sidney to bolster up -their declining spirits by declaring again that they would probably not -be able to return to Nizhni-Novgorod even if they should wish to do -so. So they took the road, or rather the trail, for beyond Timour Kahn -Shoura there was no wagon road, but only narrow saddle trails that led -up into the high plateaux and ranges of the Caucasus. - -That first day their way was through a succession of narrow, wooded -ravines that were pleasant rather than difficult. The ascent was -gradual and was not difficult at any time, and there was sufficient -shade to temper the sun’s rays, which, in those southern valleys, would -otherwise have been scorching. - -The boys would have covered the ground more effectively if they had not -been somewhat nervous as a result of the events of the preceding night. -They fully expected that the men who had tried to enter their room at -the inn would waylay them somewhere on the road that day. The country -through which they passed was ideal for such an enterprise, for there -was frequent and abundant shelter for an ambush. They were, therefore, -constantly on the _qui vive_, and examined rather carefully before -passing every spot that seemed favorable for an attack from robbers. -Such vigilance retarded their speed, and they had a feeling that they -were making very little progress. The packs, too, though not really -heavy, were burdensome, and toward night made the boys’ legs, which -lately had not been used to tramping, drag distressingly. - -“I guess those fellows at Timmy got scared last night after all,” -remarked Raymond as the day waned and there had been no alarm. - -“I hope so,” replied Sidney; “a long mountain tramp is bad enough -without having to watch out all the time for highwaymen.” - -“I don’t believe they would have come out so far as this, anyway. There -were plenty of good places to hold us up back on the road. What do you -say to making camp? I’m dead tired.” - -“I’m ready to stop. If we don’t get too tired to-day we’ll travel -better to-morrow.” - -“Yes, and the day after, and the day after that, and so on _ad -infinitum_. I guess it will take us _ad infinitum_ to get through.” - -“It won’t do for us to get discouraged at this stage of the game, Ray.” - -“I’m not discouraged; I’m only ready to quit for the night, and here’s -a good place.” - -The travelers were following up a ravine through which a small stream -flowed, a tributary of the larger stream on which Timour Khan Shoura -was situated. At the point where Raymond proposed to stop, the wall of -the ravine was a rocky bluff that rose nearly perpendicularly. A short -spur jutted out, forming a small cove which faced up the ravine and -made a well-sheltered spot. Across to the other side the distance was -perhaps two hundred yards, and midway flowed the stream. About half a -mile farther up, the walls of the ravine drew together until a narrow -gorge was formed. - -The boys unslung their blanket rolls and threw themselves down on -the ground with exclamations of relief. The disturbance of the night -before, with the nervous strain and consequent loss of sleep, was a -greater tax on their strength than they had realized at the time. All -day they had been keyed up by the expectation of trouble, which they -had been braced to meet and defeat. When the necessity for alertness, -as they supposed, was removed, and the tension was relaxed, they -settled down, feeling too languid to exert themselves further. - -Raymond declared that he would rather loaf than eat, and he didn’t -care if he never ate again if he only got well rested. That was the -way they felt when they stopped, but a very little rest will suffice -to make healthy boys conscious of gnawing hunger, especially when they -have eaten very little through the day, as was the case with Sidney and -Raymond. - -Soon both of them began to feel a strong desire to explore the -lunch-bags, but they remembered how dry that lunch was, and how -difficult it would be to eat it without something to wash it down. -Raymond proposed that they move down to the stream and eat their supper -there where the water was handy, but Sidney told his brother to stay -where he was and he would take a large cup with which they had provided -themselves and bring water up. - -Raymond lay at his ease on the ground, lazily watching Sidney as he -went down to the stream and knelt to fill his cup and take a drink -before returning to camp. From the stream, Raymond allowed his gaze to -wander on to the rugged mountains of the opposite side, and then up the -ravine to the narrow gorge. There his look paused with a start, for he -saw an object moving, which in a moment he identified as a man. The -figure was coming down the ravine, just below the gorge. As Raymond -looked, the man dropped to one knee and brought a long rifle up to a -sight down the ravine. - -Raymond wondered what the game could be that was the object of the -hunter’s aim. The gun, apparently, pointed directly down the ravine, -and the boy looked rapidly along to try to discover the animal. His -gaze traveled down until it encountered his brother still stooping -to fill the cup, and he had seen no game. Then, as his eye rested on -Sidney, in a flash he realized that his brother was the game the hunter -was stalking. His heart seemed to leap into his throat, where it nearly -stifled him. Making a supreme effort he overcame the convulsion of -terror and shouted,-- - -“Drop flat, Sid!” - - - - -CHAPTER VI A DESPERATE ENCOUNTER - - -When Raymond shouted, Sidney obeyed instantly without looking up, and -fell flat on his face at the side of the stream. At the same instant -there was a puff of smoke from the leveled gun, a report, and a ball -whistled just above Sidney’s form. - -The man up the ravine sprang to his feet and dropped the stock of his -gun to the ground. Raymond saw that he was proceeding to load with -powder and ball, and he shouted to Sidney again,-- - -“Come back, Sid, quick, he’s got a muzzle-loader.” - -Sidney jumped up and raced for camp, reaching it before the man had -finished loading his rifle. Raymond took out his pistol and prepared -to shoot, but the distance to the man who had fired was so great that -he decided to wait, and lowered his gun. As he did so he saw that the -figure up the ravine was joined by another who came from out of the -gorge. - -“Sid,” he said to his brother without taking his eyes from the men, -“they were waylaying us in the gorge. It’s lucky we were too tired to -go on.” - -“Yes, and it’s lucky you stayed here while I went for water, or that -fellow would have potted me, sure. As it was, I think he didn’t miss me -by more than a foot.” - -“He certainly shoots well, and he has a good rifle. That was a long -shot. I wish I had my rifle here; I don’t know what I shall be able to -do with this revolver.” - -The two bandits were in consultation together, and evidently were -examining the cove that sheltered the boys. After a few moments of -talking one of them crossed to the farther side of the ravine and -walked down on that side, while the other came down on the same side -where the boys were. They proceeded slowly and deliberately, but rather -as though that were their customary mode of walking, for they made no -attempt at concealment. - -“They don’t appear to have much respect for us,” said Sidney; “if they -had, they wouldn’t walk out in the open like that.” - -“They think that shot of mine last night was a miss,” said -Raymond,--“that I tried to hit the man and couldn’t. I presume they -know what kind of a gun I have, too, and think it’s no good. I wish I -knew how far it will carry. It seems to me it ought to be good for two -hundred yards.” - -The cliff back of the boys was so nearly perpendicular that it would -be impossible for any one to pass along its face, so they knew they -need not fear an attack from above. They felt pretty sure, indeed, that -there were only the two men who were in sight in the ravine, who had -placed themselves in ambush for them in the narrow gorge, and had been -disconcerted when the travelers stopped just before reaching them. They -believed, if they could stand the bandits off until dark, that they -would become discouraged and return to Timour Khan Shoura; though the -deliberate way in which the first of the men had attempted to snipe -Sidney did not look as though they would be easily discouraged. - -The wall of the cove was rough and irregular. In one place a great rock -stood out from the back in such a way as to afford protection from up -the ravine. It was nearly on a line with the jutting spur that formed -the inclosure, so it was protected also from in front. - -The boys made a hasty examination of their citadel and took refuge at -one side of the big rock at the back. The two bandits were in plain -view, coming leisurely down the ravine, one on each side. Each man -carried a long gun. They were keeping a close watch of their quarry, -and presently the one on the near side of the ravine paused and tested -the distance with a shot. The bullet flattened itself against the rock -of the lower side of the cove, about on a line with the boys’ heads. - -“Gee! Sid,” exclaimed Raymond, “that’s good shooting. We’ll have to be -careful how we get out of shelter.” - -“I never saw anything so cold-blooded,” said Sidney. “They come down -just as deliberately as though they were shooting rabbits.” - -The man who had fired was still reloading his gun, and Raymond jumped -out from behind the rock to a place where he was still protected by the -jutting spur from the man across the ravine, and announced,-- - -“I’m going to fire at him before he finishes loading, but I’ll shoot -into the ground about two thirds of the way out, so he’ll think my gun -won’t carry any farther.” - -Raymond fired and his bullet threw up the dirt far short of the -advancing bandit. They imagined that they could see a smile of derision -on the man’s face. At that moment the other man fired from across the -ravine, and again the boys were shown that only a position behind the -rocks would protect them from such expert shooting. - -Steadily the two men came down the ravine, firing occasionally. As the -boys were safe hidden behind the rocks, and could not be reached by -a bullet from either direction, they concluded that the bandits were -firing merely to prevent a sally on their part. Why they should do -that, however, the boys could not understand, for it would have seemed -to be better to encourage them to expose themselves; especially as -there seemed to be no fear of the one small gun in the boys’ possession. - -Every shot, apparently, was placed with precision, for every one -entered on a line that was nearest to the boys’ shelter. _Spat! spat!_ -they came, first from one side and then from the other. Not very -rapidly, for there was always necessarily a pause for reloading. - -Steadily the bandits advanced, until they were less than two hundred -yards from the cove. And they were still perfectly indifferent to any -danger they might be in from Raymond’s gun. Such a steady, relentless -advance began to fill the boys with panic. They felt as though an -inexorable fate were closing in on them. - -“I can’t stand this much longer, Sid.” And Raymond’s face was pale with -the nervous strain. “I feel as though I were being killed by inches.” - -“Do you think your pistol would reach them now?” - -“I’m sure of it, but I am not sure that I have the nerve to stand out -and shoot them.” - -“I believe our only chance for salvation is to kill those men, Ray. I -thought at first we might frighten them, but they’re not the kind to be -frightened. I would be willing to take the responsibility of shooting -them, but I can’t shoot so close as you can, and I might miss, and a -miss would be the end of us.” - -“I’m not afraid of missing,” said Raymond, “but it makes me sick to -think of potting them like rats.” - -Still the advance continued, with an occasional shot. By that time the -men were so close that their features could be plainly distinguished, -and the boys were surprised to see that the bandits were white as -themselves. The mountain tribes of Central Daghestan, the Lesghians, -are a conglomerate race. There are many tribes, of many different -origins, and some of them have very fair skin. - -“If I wait much longer I shan’t be able to shoot at all. I’m beginning -to shake now. If only they weren’t white! It wouldn’t be half so bad if -they were black. As soon as the man on this side shoots again I’m going -to wing them.” And Raymond examined his revolver carefully, bringing -the hammer back to full cock. - -“Do you mean you will only disable them? Do you think that would -be wise?” - -“No; I’ll shoot to kill.” And there was a look of fixed determination -on Raymond’s face, which was whiter than before. - -In a moment a bullet from the bandit on their side spattered the -rocks. Raymond stepped quickly out from the shelter with his revolver -pointing over his right shoulder as he held it high before him. -Bringing the gun forward into position with the lightning sureness of -one accustomed to shooting a heavy pistol, the instant it reached a -level before his eyes he fired, without appearing to take any aim. The -man in the distance turned half around and pitched down to one side. - -Not waiting to note the effect of his shot, Raymond stepped to the -left, beyond the projecting spur of rock which formed the cove, -bringing himself in range of the other bandit, who was raising his -gun into position. The boy threw his revolver up and brought it down -to a level with the same lightning precision, and fired. The man in -front also fired, but a thought too late, and his bullet went wild. He -dropped his gun and lunged forward, falling on his face. - -Raymond had moved with absolute certainty and incredible quickness, -but now that the dreadful business was concluded, his pistol hand fell -nervelessly to his side and he leaned, trembling, against the wall of -the cove. - -“Don’t feel like that about it, Ray.” And Sidney placed his hand -affectionately on his brother’s shoulder. “There was no other way, but -I’m sorry you had to do it instead of me.” - -“When we had fights with the Mexicans last winter there was always the -excitement of a battle that made it seem inevitable, but this was so -cold-blooded that it really got my nerve.” - -“Shall we go out and look at those men?” asked Sidney. “They may be -only stunned.” - -“You needn’t worry about that. I’m sure they’re dead, but I don’t think -I want to see them. How about taking their guns, though?” - -“I don’t think we ought to take anything that belonged to them; then -when they are found, no one can accuse us of robbery.” - -“I suppose you are right,” said Raymond, “but those guns might come in -mighty handy.” - -“I think we’d better get something to eat,” said Sidney, “then we’ll -both feel better. You wait here and I’ll go down and bring up some -water.” - -When Sidney returned with the water, Raymond had taken out the food -and was waiting for his brother to join in the lunch. - -“Gee! Sid,” he said, “think what has happened since you went after -water the first time. I was scared stiff when I looked up the ravine -and saw that man draw a bead on you. I thought at first he was shooting -game of some kind, and I looked along the ravine to see if I could see -what it was. Then when I saw you kneeling to get a drink, in a flash I -knew it was you he was after.” - -“It was a close call for me. And if you were not a dead sure shot we -should be done up by now. You know Ramon used to boast that you were -the best shot in Mexico, and I guess there aren’t many better anywhere.” - -“Well, I shook so I was afraid I couldn’t do a thing. But just as soon -as I stepped out to shoot I was perfectly steady, and then when it was -all over I was weak as a cat.” - -The boys had thought they were pretty tired when they stopped to make -camp, and they had been under such a strain since that when relaxation -came they were simply exhausted. They had barely energy sufficient to -roll up in their blankets. Fortunately, the night was warm and it made -little difference whether they were really covered. Their minds were -relieved of all anxiety of a possible attack, for they believed that -the two men who were lying so still out in the ravine were the only -ones whom they had had to fear. Consequently, they were no more than -stretched out on the ground when both were sleeping profoundly. - - - - -CHAPTER VII A LESGHIAN JAIL - - -It was broad day, though the sun had not climbed high enough to look -down into the ravine, when the boys woke. Sidney was the first to -rouse, and he lay quietly gazing up into the sky, which, from that -position, looked like the bluest sea, with floating masses of fleecy -wool. He reviewed the exciting events of the previous day and night, -and wondered what might still be in store for them. He could not -believe, however, that they would encounter again such bloodthirsty -bandits as the two men who had attacked them. They had been given to -understand that the mountaineers of the Caucasus, while often fierce -and wild, were usually honorable and hospitable. Their first experience -of the people of Daghestan had justified such a report, for the men -with whom they had had dealings at Petrovsk had been attentive and -considerate. Sidney thought that might possibly have been due to the -fact that those men were probably really Russian. - -Presently Raymond woke, and with characteristic impetuosity jumped up -the moment his eyes were open. - -“Are you awake, Sid? I tell you I’m glad we are both here safe. It -seems now as though that affair of yesterday couldn’t be true, but I -suppose we’d find those fellows lying out there if we went to look.” - -“I’m worrying a little, Ray, about the chance of our getting into -trouble over that. If we should be arrested for killing those men, we -don’t know a word of the language here, and it might be impossible for -us to show that we did it in self-defense.” - -“Why can’t these people speak a civilized language instead of such a -barbaric jargon! If they only knew Spanish, now, that would do all -right.” - -“Yes, it would do all right for us,” said Sidney, laughing, “but it -might not for the next travelers.” - -“I don’t believe there are any next travelers here; we are the only -ones.” - -The boys ate a dry breakfast, slung their blanket rolls over their -shoulders, and took up their long tramp. Their way led past the first -bandit who had fallen a victim to Raymond’s skill. The man, apparently, -did not move after he fell. His hands still grasped a long-barreled, -silver-trimmed rifle, and from a cord hung an ornately decorated -dagger. His head was covered with a conical, black, lamb’s wool cap, -and he was clothed in a coat which was so long that it reached nearly -to his ankles. On either side of the front of his coat were fastened -silver cartridge cases. The whole effect of the man’s equipment was -that of comfortable affluence. - -“I suppose,” said Sidney, as they regarded the prostrate form, “that if -he had gone to the war with Germany he might have met the same fate.” - -“He certainly would have made a fine soldier, but I guess he had a -better business. Brigandage must be profitable.” - -“I can’t help feeling uneasy, Ray,” said Sidney as they went on, “about -what will happen when those men are found.” - -“I’m not going to worry, Sid. As you said, there was nothing else we -could do.” - -The boys soon reached the gorge, where the bandits had, probably, -planned to waylay them. It was an ideal spot for such an enterprise. -The opening was narrow, and the cliffs on either side were ragged and -broken, affording the best possible place for concealment. The boys -were quite sure if they had gone on the night before that they would -not then be traveling. - -A short distance above the entrance to the gorge they came upon two -horses tied with ropes. The animals were fully accoutered, carrying -bridles and saddles. They had evidently been tied there many hours, -for they had restlessly tramped the ground within the length of their -tethers, and they whinnied entreatingly when they saw the boys. - -“Gee, Sid,” exclaimed Raymond when he saw the animals, “those horses -must have belonged to the bandits, and they’re just the ticket for us.” - -“It would never in this world do for us to take them, Ray. That would -make it look as though we had killed the men for their horses.” - -“You don’t mean you’re going to leave them here?” - -“That’s exactly what I mean.” - -“Why, that would be outrageous, Sid, when we need horses so badly, and -we are sure the owners were those dead men.” - -“Nothing under Heaven could make me touch those horses, Ray.” - -“Well, I guess you’re right, Sid, you always are. But at any rate, -we’ll give them some water, they must be awfully dry.” - -“I would like to water them, Ray, but I think it wouldn’t be safe to do -even that. I would rather leave them exactly as they are. It is almost -certain that some one will pass soon and find them.” - -“Gee, you _are_ cautious, Sid. Well, if we’ve got to hoof it, we may as -well keep going.” And Raymond rather grumpily continued the march. - -The gorge proved to be a short one, and the boys soon came out into a -valley, on the farther side of which, climbing up the mountain slope, -they saw a village. They were uncertain whether to be pleased or -apprehensive at the prospect of encountering people. If they could get -into the high mountains before the bodies which they had left in the -ravine were discovered, it might be that they would not be followed -and would not be caused any trouble by their successful effort to -protect their own lives. On the other hand, they had very little food, -and they were not sure that they would be able to replenish their -supply after they had once really entered the mountains. - -There seemed, however, to be no way of avoiding the town, if they had -wished to do so. The trail led directly to it, and as the country rose -abruptly beyond, they knew that the village, in all probability, must -be at the foot of the only road that penetrated the range. - -When they were halfway across the valley, two wild-looking horsemen -emerged from the gorge and dashed past them. - -“Those fellows act as though they were scared by what they saw in the -ravine,” remarked Raymond as he watched the riders enter the village. - -“More likely,” said Sidney, “they are hurrying to report what they -found, and warn officers to take us.” - -The boys followed slowly and reluctantly. They would have been very -much happier if they could have skipped that first village, for the -more they reflected on the possibilities before them, the more uneasy -they felt. They wondered if they had made a supreme effort to get out -of Russia only to land in a mountain jail. And they thought, if that -should be the outcome of their adventure, that their father would be -infinitely better off in a civilized city like Nizhni-Novgorod, even if -he had not yet recovered his liberty. - -They entered the village and passed along the narrow, crooked street, -looking for a bazaar where food might be purchased. They thought they -would buy the very first eatables they saw, and then hurry out of -town and on into the mountains. They were not, however, to be allowed -to do that. They had proceeded but a short distance in their search -for supplies when they were met by two men who were armed with the -customary rifles and swords. The men, who somehow gave the impression -of being officials, placed themselves one on each side of the boys, and -taking hold of their arms hurried them along with a brief statement in -a strange language that was plainly not Russian. - -Sidney began a remonstrance and a request to know why they were seized -in that way, but their captors paid not the least attention to what he -said. He wished to present his passport to one of the men, but they -were forced along so precipitately that he could not get the paper out -of his pocket. Indeed, they were nearly out of breath when they were -pulled up before a small stone building, pushed through a doorway, and -the door slammed and locked behind them. - -It was so dark in the room where the boys were thrown, the only light -coming through one small window, that at first they were unable to -distinguish anything. Moreover, they were dazed by the sudden and -violent change in their condition. Presently, however, as their eyes -became accustomed to the dim light, they were able to see into what -sort of quarters they had been thrust. - -The room in which they found themselves was absolutely bare except -that in one corner were three or four planks raised a little above -the floor, evidently designed for a bed. At least the room was bare -of furniture, but it was indescribably filthy, and the boys gradually -became aware that the filth which littered the floor and the plank bed -was swarming with vermin. The boys gazed at each other, at first too -stunned and shocked for expression, then indignation possessed Raymond. - -“I suppose,” he said, “that we ought to have expected this. Russia is -not civilized, anyway, and we are served right for visiting such a -God-forsaken country.” - -“But you must remember,” said Sidney, “that appearances are very much -against us. They have no doubt found the bandits, and assume, quite -reasonably, I must admit, that we killed them. I really don’t wonder -that they arrested us.” - -“Well, they might have done it in a civilized way.” - -“That man must have been explaining why they arrested us, but we -couldn’t understand him, which was not his fault.” - -“For Heaven’s sake, Sid, are you excusing these ruffians?” - -“No, but I am trying to imagine what I should think in their place.” - -“You’ll be fully occupied in what you think of _this_ place,” said -Raymond with sarcastic emphasis. “Do you suppose they’ll keep us here -to-night? If they do, we’ll have to sleep standing. I don’t want to -put my blankets down on _that_ bed, if it is a bed.” - -The boys still had their blankets slung over their shoulders. Rather -strangely, as it seemed to them now that they had time to think it -over, none of their belongings had been taken from them. Even Raymond’s -revolver was still in his possession. - -“It isn’t a very attractive bed, that’s a fact,” said Sidney. - -“I’d like to get rid of my load, too.” And Raymond looked around to see -if by any chance there was a spot that was passably clean. There was no -comfort to be found in examining the floor, or the plank bed, and he -turned his attention to the walls. The house was built of rough stone, -and the walls were not finished in any way on the inside. But rough as -the walls were, there was no projection on which anything might be laid -or from which it might be suspended. The window, which was about two -feet square and was some five feet above the floor, was set with iron -bars, but contained no glass. Raymond examined that, and said to his -brother:-- - -“We can hang our things to these bars, Sid, if they are strong -enough to hold anything, but they are nearly rusted through. Sid!” he -continued in a tone of excitement, “I believe we can easily break these -bars out.” And he grasped one to test it. - -“Hold on, Ray,” cried his brother; “don’t touch them now. We couldn’t -get out until after dark, and if they found we had broken a bar, they -would put us somewhere else.” - -“That’s so,” assented Raymond, “but I’m sure we can break them out. -They’re not so smart, after all, with their filthy old jail.” - -“I expect if we do get out,” said Sidney, “that we’ll have a tough time -in finding our way out of this town in the dark. My vague recollection -of the place is that the streets are a regular Chinese puzzle.” - -“Well,” said Raymond, “we’ll be outside of this wretched place, anyway, -and I’ll take my chances then on making a getaway.” - -They proceeded to suspend their blanket rolls and knapsacks from the -bars, and had no more than disposed of their packs in that way when the -door was thrown open and an official with two attendants entered. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII AN ESCAPE - - -The official who entered the jail gave instructions to his two -subordinates and they proceeded to search the boys, but Sidney stepped -back and raised his hand in appeal. - -“Wait,” he said, “I have a passport that will explain who we are.” - -He took the paper out from his breast pocket and presented it to the -official, who regarded it curiously, but immediately returned it with a -short comment which the boys, of course, could not understand. - -“I’ll bet he can’t read Russian,” said Raymond. - -“That’s so,” said one of the men in broken English, “he not speak -Russian, only Lesghian.” - -“Hello!” exclaimed Raymond in surprise, “where did you learn English?” - -“I live New York.” - -“Why didn’t you stay there?” - -“I come home.” - -“Well, I’ll be jiggered! you leave New York to come back to such a -place as this?” - -“Yes, I leave New York; I come back home.” - -“Do you read Russian?” asked Sidney. - -“No, not read Russian.” - -“Who is this officer?” - -“He chief polis.” - -“Tell him,” said Sidney, “that I have a passport which says that we are -American citizens returning to America, and that all Russian officials -are commanded by the Government to help us.” - -The man had a short conference with his superior and then turned to -Sidney. - -“He says you kill two men.” - -“But they attacked us,” said Sidney; “we only defended ourselves. We -did not take anything that belonged to them. We left their guns and -horses and everything. Tell him that.” - -There was another conference and the man turned again to Sidney. - -“He says you have trial, maybe next week.” - -“Holy smoke!” exclaimed Raymond in horror, “they wouldn’t keep us in -this filthy place till next week?” - -“Maybe next week, maybe longer.” - -The chief had waited patiently, smiling blandly, but he apparently -thought the conversation had lasted long enough, for he gave a command -to his deputies, and the man repeated:-- - -“He says we search you now.” - -The task they had before them must have been an unaccustomed one, for -they were particularly awkward about it, and not at all thorough. The -boys’ purses they found at once, and the chief himself took immediate -charge of them, but Raymond’s revolver was the only other article which -they seemed to think it worth while to remove. The money which the boys -carried concealed beneath their clothes was not discovered, and the -only attention they gave to the blankets was to make joking remarks -and laugh when the rolls were noticed hanging from the window bars. -The boys could imagine that the men were commenting on the comfortable -night they would pass if they attempted to sleep on their suspended -beds. When the search was concluded, the chief and his assistants left -the room without further word. - -“I wish I’d used my revolver before they took it,” said Raymond as the -door closed and the bolt slid into place. “I could easily have shot all -three.” - -“And that would have been a specially foolish thing to do,” said Sidney. - -“Well, it would have been specially satisfactory, if it was foolish.” - -“I’m glad, though,” said Sidney, “that we didn’t take any such -desperate step as that. It is much better to wait till night and see if -we can’t get out through the window, as I believe we can.” - -“Those fellows are so stupid,” said Raymond, “that I don’t believe they -would know enough to stop us if they saw us climbing out of the window. -Think of their not finding the rest of our money! It’s lucky for us -they didn’t.” - -The day wore on past noon, and the boys took a lunch from their -knapsacks. Though the lunch was extremely simple, consisting mainly of -dry bread, they were able to occupy considerable time in disposing of -it, for very careful mastication was necessary in order to swallow the -food without water, of which there was none. Aside from that diversion -there was nothing whatever for them to do while they waited the arrival -of night. - -The window looked out against a blank wall, only a few feet away, and -gave them no view of the village. The door was so extremely thick that -it allowed no sound to penetrate. Though it opened on the street, the -boys could distinguish no noise of passing feet, and what appeared -strange to them was that the only noise they heard seemed to come from -the roof. - -When the boys were put into the jail in the morning, the whole affair -of their arrest and imprisonment had been so hasty and so bewildering -that they had not taken note of the fact that the jail was situated -against the mountain-side. Above the jail other buildings ran up the -steep slope, and the roofs of the lower lines of buildings formed front -yards for the next line of buildings above, and so on to the top. So -the roof of the jail no doubt was occupied, possibly as a stable for -the horse that belonged to the family above. On that plan are built -many of the mountain villages of Daghestan, very like the villages of -our own Pueblo Indians. - -Toward night the English-speaking policeman opened the door and brought -in water and black bread, closing the door after him. The drink, though -in a repulsive-looking receptacle, was most welcome to the boys. - -“You like it here?” asked the man, with a twinkle in his eyes. - -“No, it’s filthy,” replied Raymond. - -“Yes, pretty dirty, not like New York jail.” - -“Do you know a New York jail?” - -“Yes, I know New York jail.” - -“What is your name?” asked Sidney. - -“Aleskandir,” replied the man. - -“Is there another village near here?” - -“No, long way next village.” - -“Then,” said Sidney, “I guess we’ll have to go back to Timour Khan -Shoura.” - -“You want me let you out?” asked the man. “You give me twenty rubles, I -let you out after dark.” - -“How can I give you twenty rubles?” asked Sidney. “You took our money -away, the chief of police has it.” - -“I think you got more money,” said the man with a cunning look. “You -have lump under clothes.” And he tapped his breast significantly. - -The boys were very much startled by the revelation that the policeman -knew they had more money. Raymond, though excited by the prospect of -an easy release, fortunately had presence of mind to remain quiet and -leave the matter in Sidney’s hands, realizing that one could manage it -better than two. - -Sidney could not be sure that the man before them was the only one who -knew that all of their money had not been taken away. It was possible -that the chief of police was just as well informed, and there was a -prearranged plan to get the boys to try to escape. Perhaps, Sidney -thought, there was a custom among the Lesghians similar to the Mexican -“Ley de fuga,” in plain English, law of flight, which encouraged a -prisoner to escape and then shot him in the act. Possibly any money -taken from a prisoner who was killed in that way would not be reported -by the chief of police, and that would be an inducement for the -official to encourage such attempted escapes. - -Sidney ran the matter over in his mind so rapidly that only a few -moments were consumed while the man was waiting an answer to his -proposal. But he did not dare trust the fellow, for he realized that -if they were once outside the jail there would be nothing to prevent -the man from taking whatever money they had, perhaps putting them out -of the way to accomplish it. So he determined to deny that he had any -money left, and said accordingly,-- - -“I have no money to pay you.” - -“You be sorry,” said the man with an ugly look. “You get shot.” - -“What do you mean?” asked Sidney. - -“You kill two men, you both get shot.” And he opened the door and went -out, locking it behind him. - -“What made you do that, Sid?” asked Raymond when they were alone. “Why -didn’t you give him the bribe he wanted?” - -“I don’t think he’s to be trusted.” - -“But he is sure we have the money.” - -“Yes, he is, and that’s just the trouble. If he once got us out of here -he would probably kill us and take it all.” - -“Well, it doesn’t matter so much after all,” said Raymond, “for I’m -sure we can get out through the window.” - -“Yes,” suggested Sidney, “if that fellow isn’t waiting outside to -receive us. He may know the window bars are rotten and thinks we’ll try -that way.” - -“We’ll give him a run for his money, anyway. If I _only_ had that -revolver I’d give him something besides a run. I hate to start up -through the mountains without any gun, Sid. Did you notice if that man -had one?” - -“Yes, he had a long revolver in his belt, I should think a .38.” - -“I almost wish he’d be waiting outside, then, and I’d make a try for -it. Those boneheads didn’t take our cartridges, so all we lack is a -gun.” - -The boys were very much amused by the inefficient search the policemen -had conducted. Their knapsacks hung with the blanket rolls from the -window bars in plain view, but had not been examined at all. The sacks -contained, besides a few small articles of clothing and a little food, -all of Raymond’s ammunition. If they could only obtain a gun of the -same caliber, they would still be well fortified. Sidney admonished -his brother, however, to take no rash chances, at any time, in an -attempt to procure arms. - -The black bread which the policeman had brought to them was not at all -inviting in its appearance,--indeed it was fairly repulsive,--but they -decided to keep it, for if they were to succeed in escaping from the -town in the night, they would, of course, have no chance to buy food. -So the bread was stowed away in the knapsacks with the small supply -already there. - -The boys, while it was still light, carefully inspected the window -bars so that they would know just what to do in the dark. They did not -place their hands on them, for they did not wish anybody who might be -watching outside to observe that the bars were being examined. They -found that the rains which had rusted the bars had, of course, run -downward, so that the irons, while nearly rusted through at the lower -ends, were still very solid at the top. They believed that they would -be able to break the bars loose at the bottom, and then to bend them -up, in that way making an opening of sufficient size to admit their -bodies. - -After their plan of action was arranged, the boys waited, with as much -patience as possible, for the closing-down of night. They could not -plan beyond climbing out of the window, for their further action would -depend on whether there were any persons abroad in the streets. They -hoped that the sky would be clear, so that they would be able to locate -the mountains, and not make a mistake in direction. - -Finally it became dark, and very dark it was, indeed, inside the jail. -But they waited what seemed to them a long time after that, to make -it probable that all stragglers would have returned home. When they -were sure that night was well advanced, they began operations on the -window bars, tentatively at first, to see what resistance they would be -obliged to overcome. - -“Let me hang all this plunder over your shoulders, Ray, so as to get it -out of the way. I don’t want to put it on the dirty floor.” And Sidney -suited the action to the word and disposed of the blanket rolls and -knapsacks by turning his brother into a pack-animal. - -Then he selected the bar which seemed to be thinnest at the lower end, -and began to give it quick, sharp jerks, first one way and then the -other. At first that assault made very little impression, then the bar -began to yield a trifle. Suddenly, with almost no warning, when Sidney -gave an especially strenuous pull, the iron snapped in two at the -bottom, the upper end dropped out of the hole where it had rested in -the masonwork, and the bar fell clattering to the floor. - -The boys stood rigid with their hearts in their throats. The noise had -echoed back from the walls of the empty room until they were sure it -must have roused the whole town. They waited, hardly daring to breath, -listening for the sound of running feet, and then for the opening of -the door and the entrance of guards. Why _hadn’t_ he bribed that man to -let them out! Sidney thought, bitterly. That would have been a chance, -at least, and after such an alarm, of course, there would be no chance -at all. - -Outside, however, the silence was not broken, but continued as profound -as before. The occasional barking of a dog only served to emphasize the -lack of other sound. As the boys waited in tense suspense, they could -hardly credit their ears which told them that the terrific clatter of -the falling bar had roused no corresponding commotion outside. After -they had stood absolutely quiet so long that the impulse to shout was -almost uncontrollable, they were convinced that no harm had been done, -and Raymond whispered to his brother,-- - -“This must be where the Seven Sleepers live, Sid. We’ll get away all -right and don’t you forget it.” - -“The sounder they sleep the better,” replied Sidney. - -With the loose iron to use as a lever the other two window bars were -quickly broken at the bottom and bent up, for they did not come loose -at the top as the first one had done. Then the boys arranged their -plans carefully so that there might be no slip. - -“We’ll each sling a knapsack on,” said Sidney. “We can get out with -them on all right, and that will be the best way to carry them. Then -I’ll climb out and you pass me the beds and come yourself.” - -That was easily accomplished; Sidney climbed out without mishap, and -received the blanket rolls which Raymond passed him. Then Raymond -prepared to follow. The window was large enough so that he climbed up -into it, and drawing his legs up turned around and proceeded to drop -down on the outside, feet first. But when he let himself down on the -outside of the wall, his trousers caught on the stub of one of the -bars that had broken just above the window sill. For a moment he was -suspended in the air, then the cloth gave way with a rip and he fell -with a thud in a heap on the ground. - -Sidney stood waiting for his brother with the blanket rolls in his -hands. Though it was very dark, it had been so much darker inside the -building that he could distinguish objects very well. He saw that they -were in a sort of an alley, only a few feet wide, between the jail and -the next building. Toward the front of the jail it opened out into a -wider space which Sidney knew must be a street. The other way it melted -into indistinguishable blackness. - -“Oh, Ray!” exclaimed Sidney when his brother came tumbling down, “I -guess we’ll wake the Seven Sleepers after all.” - -As Raymond was gathering himself up from the ground a man dashed -around the front of the jail toward them. - -“Come this way, Ray, I’ve got all the plunder, we can get away from -him,” cried Sidney, and he ran in the opposite direction, followed by -his brother. - - - - -CHAPTER IX A CHASE - - -The boys ran up the alley, Sidney leading with both the blanket rolls, -and Raymond following a short distance behind. Close after them came -the man who had rushed around the corner of the jail, and who was -evidently doing his best to overtake them. - -The boys found that the alley climbed up a steep slope, and they -stumbled up the ascent with breathless haste. The man who pursued -them was shorter, older, and less agile, so, although he was carrying -nothing, and Sidney, at least, was well loaded, the boys managed to -keep ahead. Raymond, however, stepped on a loose stone and floundered -along, barely saving himself, with his hands on the rising ground, -from a complete fall. He felt, rather than saw, that their pursuer was -close upon him. He made up his mind that if it came to a grapple he -would call out to Sidney for help, and run the risk of bringing others -whom they would not want. But with a supreme effort he recovered his -balance in time to save himself from the grasp of the man behind. - -Up, up, they struggled until their pounding hearts and panting lungs -nearly suffocated them. The walls continued along the sides with no -change that was perceptible in the darkness, and the boys wondered on -what plan the village could be constructed. - -At last Sidney came to the end of the alley and found there was an -opening, a similar narrow passageway, to the left. Around that corner -the alley extended on a level, and having made the turn, Sidney’s road -was much easier. He soon came to a blind wall across the passage, and -groping along its face, in the corner between that wall and the wall of -the alley, he felt a ladder. - -Sidney hesitated for a moment, wondering where the ladder could lead, -but as he could find no opening in the wall, and as he could not well -turn back, he went up it. After climbing eight or ten feet he stepped -over the top of the ladder to a level surface that was apparently a -dozen feet or so wide. At the left there seemed to be only space, but -on the right rose a wall in which dimly showed an opening. He stood -and listened. From down in the alley came the noise of Raymond and his -pursuer running. Then for a moment there was a pause in the sound, -followed by a heavy thud, and in another moment the sound of a blow. - -Sidney strained his eyes to see into the gloom below, to discover, -if possible, what was happening there. Failing in that he threw his -blankets down on the ground and grasped the ladder to descend, fearing -that harm had come to his brother. As he did so, one person instead of -two came running along the darkness below, and the figure blundered -into the wall at the end. - -“Is that you, Ray?” Sidney whispered. - -“Yes,” was the reply from below. - -“There is a ladder, a little to your left,” he directed. - -When Raymond had reached the angle of the alley, the man behind was so -close that he believed he would be overtaken, especially as his breath, -from the violent running uphill, was becoming very short. So he decided -to resort to a trick. After running for a few feet along the level -floor of the alley beyond the turn, he dropped to one knee and turned -to face his pursuer, crouching closely to the ground. The fellow came -on at full tilt and Raymond grasped him by one leg and rose with his -burden. The impetus the man had acquired in running sent him hurtling -through the air and he crashed, head first, against the wall. Stunned -by the blow, he fell in a huddled heap. - -Instead of running on after Sidney, as Raymond’s first impulse had been -when his pursuer was placed _hors de combat_, with a sudden thought -he stopped to examine his fallen antagonist. Something in the aspect -of the man as he was flying over Raymond’s head had seemed familiar. -He turned the form over to bring the face upward and, stooping, -peered closely. It was just as he had suddenly suspected, the man -was the English-speaking policeman. That meant that he probably had -a revolver stuck in his belt, and Raymond immediately fumbled under -the man’s coat. Pulling out the gun which he felt there, an instant’s -examination, even in the dark, convinced him that it was indeed a .38 -caliber. He wanted to whoop for joy that he once more had a serviceable -weapon to fit the ammunition which they still possessed. It did not -occur to him for a moment that in appropriating the revolver he was -doing practically the same thing that the policeman had attempted when -he coveted their money. The gun was so precisely what they needed that -it only seemed as though a kind fortune had presented it to him. - -As Raymond straightened up with the revolver in his hand the prostrate -man raised himself to his elbow. The thick lamb’s wool cap which he -wore, and which is the usual head-covering of men in the Caucasus, -had so protected his head that the shock of being thrown against the -wall had only slightly stunned him. Raymond was confronted with a new -danger. With the man conscious, he would not be able to hide from him -or to escape him in the end, though he might at first outdistance him -in running. - -The thought of a possible return to the filthy jail was more than -Raymond could endure; he simply _must_ prevent any danger of that. He -had a savage, momentary impulse to shoot the man as he lay before him, -but he could not bring himself to do that, and, anyway, it would make -too much noise. There was one other way, and clubbing the pistol he -brought it down with full force on the man’s head. The fellow sank back -on the ground without a sound and lay without moving. Raymond sped on -and in a moment came plump against the wall at the end, when Sidney -hailed him, and he climbed the ladder. - -“Where is that fellow who was chasing us?” asked Sidney in a whisper, -when his brother appeared at the head of the ladder. - -“I tripped him up and he’s down there in the alley,” replied Raymond in -an equally low tone. - -“I thought I heard the sound of a blow,” said Sidney. - -“You did; I clouted him over the head with his own revolver, and I’ve -got the gun here.” - -“I wish you hadn’t done that, Ray.” - -“But what _could_ I have done, Sid?--just turn my money over to him and -wait meekly to see if he wanted to kill me?” - -“Of course not, but you needn’t have taken his gun.” - -“I wasn’t going to lose so good a chance to get a gun, and I simply -_had_ to make him keep quiet till I could get out of the way.” - -“Well, I’m glad enough to have you safe here, anyway.” - -“What kind of a place is this?” asked Raymond. - -“I can’t imagine,” replied his brother. “I thought it might be the roof -of a house when I climbed the ladder, but there seems to be a house of -some sort up here; I think that is a door.” - -“Suppose we go and investigate,” suggested Raymond. - -“We must be pretty careful if we do; there may be people here.” - -The boys proceeded cautiously toward the dim opening in the wall that -rose on their right. The surface over which they walked was smooth, -but had the feel, under their feet, of earth. They paused outside the -doorway and listened intently, but could hear no sound. - -“I’m going to strike a match,” said Raymond, “and see what there is -inside.” - -“Don’t make a light out here,” remonstrated Sidney; “that would show us -too plainly to any one who might be looking this way. I think it would -be safer to step inside the door. I don’t believe there is any one here -or we should have heard some sound.” - -Raymond stepped carefully inside the door and struck a match, holding -it up till the flame burned steadily. When the light shone clear it -revealed a good-sized room that was perfectly bare. The walls were of -rough stone, similar to the walls of the jail, and the floor was of -earth packed hard and smooth. There was no indication that the room had -been occupied, and it certainly was empty enough then. - -The match died down and Raymond turned back to the doorway where -Sidney waited. The mystery of their surroundings made both of them -thoughtful,--the strange, narrow alley that climbed the steep hill, -shut in on both sides by walls or buildings, they did not know which; -then the house in whose door they were standing, that was reached, so -far as they knew, only by a ladder, and that was so providentially -unoccupied; the silence that covered the place, too, though to be sure -it was probably after midnight, an hour when a town should be silent, -if ever. All the conditions were weird and mysterious. - -The boys stood in the doorway and tried vainly to pierce the darkness -about them. The sky was clear and starlit, but there was no moon, and -the mountains, which seemingly nearly surrounded them, were black and -without form, and shut out most of what light there would otherwise -have been. In front of them was the narrow, level space on which they -had landed when they climbed the ladder, and beyond that fell a slope -which appeared, in the gloom, to be set with knobs. Whether those knobs -were rocks or buildings the boys could not tell. They thought, however, -that they must be buildings, else what had become of the village? Back -of them rose the mountains. - -“What do you make of it, Sid?” asked Raymond, still in a whisper, for -they had a sort of feeling that there were people near. - -“I can’t make anything of it. If this is a town, and I suppose it must -be, it’s the most curious one I ever heard of. We’ll just have to wait -till daylight, and I hope we shan’t find then that we are in the midst -of a hornet’s nest of savage mountaineers.” - -“We’d better go into that room and get some sleep,” said Raymond; “I -begin to feel pretty used up after that run uphill. I should think -you’d be too, with the heavy load you had to carry.” - -“Yes, it was a hard stunt. What do you say to pulling the ladder up, -Ray? Then if anybody comes into the alley they can’t get up here -without bringing another ladder.” - -“That’s a good idea, Sid. It takes you to make things safe.” - -“And it takes you, Ray, to clear the road of undesirables. What do -you think that fellow down in the alley will do when he comes to his -senses? I don’t suppose you really killed him?” - -“I’m afraid not, his cap was too thick. I don’t know whether he will -imagine that we came up here, or not.” - -“You know when he said there was no other village near, I told him that -we should have to go back to Timour Khan Shoura. I wanted to fool him, -and maybe he’ll think we have started back that way.” - -“I hope he will, and chase after us.” While the boys were talking, they -carefully drew the ladder up and laid it down, well back from the -edge. Then they went into the room, opened up their blankets close to -the wall on one side of the door, and in about a minute were both fast -asleep. - - - - -CHAPTER X IN HIDING - - -When the boys woke in the morning, they were obliged to think several -minutes in order to remember and comprehend their situation. Only -twenty-four hours before they had waked in the ravine, after their -nerve-trying battle with the bandits, the misguided men whom they had -left lying there on the ground. Then followed their precipitate arrest, -and the escape which had been accomplished in such darkness that it -seemed a miracle that they should have been able to get away at all. -They wondered if they had chanced upon the one route that led to, -perhaps, the only unoccupied house in the village. - -“I hardly have the courage to look out of the door, Ray,” said Sidney. -“I’m afraid we’ll find there are houses and people on all sides of us.” - -“If there are, the people certainly don’t make much noise; we might be -in the middle of a cemetery for all we can hear.” - -Raymond had hardly finished speaking when there came in at the door the -sound of a voice talking, seemingly so near that the boys were sure it -must be from some person just outside the door. Another voice replied, -and the two continued in a conversation. - -The boys looked at each other in wide-eyed apprehension, then they -raised themselves cautiously from their blankets and stood, Raymond -with his revolver held at full cock. They expected every moment that -some one would enter through the door, and Raymond wondered if it -would not be foolish to resist, after all, if men came to arrest them. -He could, without doubt, shoot a man or two, perhaps all who came at -first, but they could hardly hope to get away even then. - -The talking outside continued, yet no one appeared, and when the boys -were standing they could hear more distinctly, and the voices did -not seem quite so near as they had thought at first. They did not -dare to speak, but they tiptoed carefully to the door, and standing -just inside, listened again. They were greatly puzzled to locate the -voices; they seemed near, and yet not as though the persons talking -were on the terrace outside of the door. Finally, Raymond peered out, -and then stepped into the doorway, but just inside, where he would be -protected from possible observation except from directly in front. -There he was joined by Sidney. - -For the first time the boys saw the prospect from the door, for -darkness had, of course, prevented their seeing anything before they -went to sleep. They observed that the space in front of the room where -they had slept was, in fact, a terrace. It was some fifteen feet wide -and was then cut square down. The voices which they heard rose from -some lower level which they could not see, apparently close under the -wall that descended from the edge of the terrace, and at no great -distance. - -Beyond the level whence came the voices, however, the view was -unobstructed, and the boys were amazed by what they saw. The steep -slope below them was thickly clothed with houses constructed in -terraces, apparently with no intervening streets, the front yard of one -house being also the roof of the next house below. The buildings were -all of rough stone and the walls were not finished smooth with mortar -or plaster, so that, seen at a distance, the village might easily be -taken for a collection of rocks on the side of the mountain. On some of -the terraces in front of the houses they saw horses calmly eating their -provender on the roofs of their neighbors. They also saw people moving -about, undoubtedly attending to their customary occupations. - -Beyond the village in front lay the narrow valley, and beyond that -mountains, but the great range extended across the horizon more to the -right, and rose high and formidable against the clear sky. The village, -plainly, was situated among the foothills, right at the base of the -towering range which they had yet to cross. - -“I wonder,” said Sidney, after they had looked for a few moments in -silence, “if the houses continue up the mountain above this one. Do you -suppose we are surrounded by houses and people as thick as they are -below?” - -“I wish we could see to the sides and back,” said Raymond. “There is -one thing sure, this terrace out here in front is the roof of a house.” - -The conversation of their neighbors just below continued at intervals, -and the sound of the voices came up to them with great distinctness. -The boys imagined the two men who were talking to be sitting in the -sun in front of their own door. There were no sounds audible from the -rear, but if there were people above them, any noise which they made -would, of course, be heard more readily above than below. There were no -windows in the room where they had passed the night, no opening except -the door, and there seemed to be no way for them to obtain a view to -one side or the other except by exposing themselves in front. - -“I’m going to see if I can’t look around the wall to one side without -being seen,” said Raymond, edging forward on one side of the doorway -as far as he could go without actually passing beyond the line of the -front wall. - -“Gee! Sid,” he exclaimed, after taking a look, “the alley that we -came up last night is a street with houses opening on it. But I don’t -believe there are any more houses as high up as this one. You take a -look.” And he made way for Sidney. - -“That’s right,” said Sidney, “and if you look sharp you can see the -tops of ladders on the line of the alley that runs down the hill. That -must be a favorite way of getting into the houses. They are regular -cliff-dwellers. I should think we’d have blundered into some of those -ladders last night; it’s lucky we didn’t.” - -“Some of the doors must open on a level,” said Raymond, “and there must -be other alleys that run up through the houses; that’s the way those -horses got out there.” - -“This is the last house up,” said Sidney, who had shifted to the other -side of the doorway and was looking out beyond the house to the right; -“there is nothing but mountain out there.” - -“This is the first house on a new street, Sid. I guess it was built to -rent, and they hadn’t got a tenant yet.” - -“I hope the owner won’t come to look at it to-day. If we can stay here -till night without being found, Ray, I’ll bet we can get away after -dark.” - -“I wish we might step outside,” suggested Raymond, “and see how the -mountain looks. Maybe we could locate the trail where it leaves the -village.” - -“That wouldn’t be safe,” replied his brother, “but I’m sure the trail -must go out up the valley, and then enter a ravine that narrows up. If -we go along the mountain beyond the houses and then drop down to the -valley, we can probably find it in the dark.” - -“There may be half a dozen trails,” said Raymond, “that run out after -firewood, and it will be mighty ticklish business to pick out the main -one.” - -“Yes, it will be,” replied Sidney, “but we’ll have to take that chance.” - -The boys began to realize that they had had no breakfast, and the -situation was not made more cheerful when they remembered that the -knapsacks contained only dry bread and cheese. Moreover, the cheese was -very salty, and as there was no water they did not dare to eat it, for -fear of creating a consuming thirst which could not be allayed. So the -breakfast menu was reduced to dry bread only. They ate that as slowly -as possible, taking very small pieces and chewing each piece a long -time. Even with such a highly hygienic method as that the meal was only -too quickly finished. When breakfast was out of the way, Raymond took -up his new revolver, which he had not had time to examine. - -“Now, Sid,” said he, “I’ll clean my gun while you are doing up the -dishes.” - -“All right,” laughed Sidney; “when I get a lot of dishes in the rinsing -water, I’ll call on you to dry them.” - -“If you do, I’ll drink some of the rinsing water first. Gee, but I’m -thirsty!” Raymond found that the gun was a six-shot revolver of English -make; rather antiquated in style but in serviceable condition. He -took it all apart and wiped the pieces and the inside of the barrel -carefully with a bit of rag, polishing the barrel until every atom -shone. He spent so much time on the work that Sidney, who had nothing -to do, became restless. - -“What will you do, Ray,” he asked, “if some one comes before you put -your gun together again?” - -“Oh, I’ll just point the barrel at them; that will scare them away. But -seriously, Sid, if somebody should come I don’t believe it would do to -try to stand them off. If I shot a man or two, it would probably only -be worse for us in the end, for we certainly couldn’t get away. If they -didn’t dare come right in and take us, it would only be a question of -starving us out.” - -“Yes, that’s so. I guess we should have to take our medicine if we -were discovered.” Sidney had been watching his brother at work on the -gun. As he finished speaking he glanced up and there was a little -child peering in at the door. The little fellow, as soon as he saw the -boys, turned and fled. Sidney jumped up and ran to the door and saw -the child scampering away along the side of the mountain. Raymond, in -his occupation with the revolver, had not seen their visitor, but when -Sidney rushed so precipitately to the door, he followed in alarm. - -“I guess it’s all up with us now, Sid,” he said when he saw the child. -“That little rascal is sure to tell that he saw us.” - -“I don’t believe he will. He’s scared now, but he will forget all about -it as soon as he meets somebody. He’s too young to remember long.” - -“Well, I shall have nervous prostration if we keep getting such jolts -as this all day. I shall be glad when it’s dark again.” - -The day seemed interminable to the boys, for there was nothing to do, -and they did not dare even to step outside, for fear of being seen. -Raymond persisted in believing that the tiny spy who had looked in at -the door would report their presence. There was no alarm, however, as -the day wore on, and he was finally obliged to confess that Sidney’s -prediction was probably accurate, and that the child had forgotten the -incident as soon as it was past. - -The varied noises of village life rose to the lonely house and gave -a pleasing sense of neighborliness to the boys in spite of the -possibility of danger that the sounds suggested. Three or four horsemen -galloped in, seemingly on the road by which the boys had arrived. -The sunlight glistened from the bright metal trimmings of saddle and -bridle, and from the guns and the silver cartridge cases which the men -wore on their coat fronts. If the arms had been omitted, the long dark -coats, with skirts that covered the horses’ sides, and the black lamb’s -wool caps worn by the men, would have made them appear like a company -of priests. - -“Gee! don’t I wish I had one of those horses!” sighed Raymond. “It’s -hard lines for a Texan to have to go afoot.” - -“Well,” said Sidney, “we proved, that winter in Mexico, that Texans can -walk if necessary.” - -“Yes, but we never had such mountains as those to cross.” And Raymond -looked distrustfully on the tremendous range that rose above the -horizon. - -“What bothers me most,” said Sidney, “is the thought of cold weather -and snow over the summit. It must get pretty cold up there a little -later. We’ll have to do our very best hiking as soon as we get out of -this place.” - -As afternoon advanced the boys became so thirsty that hunger was -forgotten and they could not endure the thought of dry food. The desire -for water increased until it amounted to torture. They paced restlessly -across the room, back and forth, in absolute silence, with no heart for -talk. - -“Sid,” asked Raymond, when the sun had dropped behind the mountain at -the back, and long shadows lay across the valley, “how much longer -will we have to wait?” - -“Until it’s good and dark.” - -“But then we shan’t know where to get water.” - -“It can’t be far to the mouth of the cañon above the village, and we’re -almost sure to find water there.” - -“I don’t see how I’m going to stand it, Sid. I’d go back to the jail if -I could have a good drink.” - -“You see, Ray, it’s not just a question of going back to the jail. We -can’t tell what they would do with us for killing the bandits. I don’t -know of any way we could prove we did it in self-defense.” - -“Well, I almost wish that policeman would find us; that would settle -it.” - -“I’m surprised he hasn’t,” said Sidney, “but I think he must have -believed that we went back to Timour Khan Shoura. And I think, too, -that he was trying to work a little private graft of his own. I don’t -believe he reported that we got out. He probably went back on the road -to try to overtake and rob us.” - -“And here we’ve had to stay all day,” growled Raymond, “with water in -the house right below us. I’ve a good mind to go down there now and get -a drink.” For the thought of the possible water so near was almost more -than the boy could endure. - -“It won’t be long now, Ray,” said Sidney encouragingly; “see, it’s -almost dark down in the valley now. You’ve been too fine the last few -days to give up just because you’re thirsty.” - -“Let’s stop talking about it, Sid,” groaned Raymond. “It makes me wild -to think of water.” And Raymond took up the endless tramp again to wear -away the time. - - - - -CHAPTER XI WITHOUT WATER - - -At last the hour came when Sidney judged it was dark enough for them to -venture out. He did not think it necessary to wait until late at night, -for as soon as they could leave the house they would climb a little -way up the mountain and then pass along the slope at some distance -above the village. Moreover, all the houses opened toward the valley, -and like their place of refuge had no windows facing the mountain. It -seemed, then, that there would be little danger of discovery as soon as -it was dark enough to prevent their being seen at a distance. - -The boys rolled up their blankets and disposed of their packs to the -best advantage for traveling, then left their shelter with feverish -haste in their longing to reach water. The mountain along which they -had to pass was bare, as all southern slopes are in Eastern and Central -Daghestan. With practically no growth of bushes, and with only broken -rocks to retard them, their way was not difficult, even in the dark, -and they made good progress. - -Sidney again proved himself to be a good prophet, for their departure -was not seen, and no one appeared to stop them. They stumbled along in -the dark over the rocky surface, and soon were beyond what seemed to -be the extreme limit of the village. However, to insure security, they -went half a mile farther, and then descended to the valley. - -At the foot of the mountain they encountered a well-traveled trail, -but as it was plain that they had not yet reached the lowest level of -the valley, they decided to continue a little farther on the same line -in the hope of finding water. So they went straight forward and soon -crossed the wash of a stream, but alas! it was dry. They thought it -might be that it was only a tributary wash and that they had not yet -come to the main stream, and they went on, only to realize after a -little that they were climbing an ascent. That convinced them, with a -shock, that they had, indeed, crossed the bottom of the valley without -finding water. - -“What shall we do, Sid?” asked Raymond with a tremble in his voice. - -“We must go back to the trail and follow that up to the mountains. The -stream probably doesn’t flow much below the mouth of the cañon, and -when we get up there we’ll find it.” - -“I hope so,” said Raymond, in a tone that contradicted his words. - -They turned back on their course, crossed the wash again, and climbing -a gentle rise reached the trail. Turning into that to the left they -plodded doggedly on. They had encountered only one trail, and as that -was well traveled, they had assumed that it must be the main road into -the mountains, therefore the one they wanted. So they followed it -without hesitation. - -As they proceeded they entered more directly under the brow of the -mountains and the darkness increased. The trail was so well defined, -however, that they had no difficulty in following it, even when they -could not really see the road they were traveling. On and on they went, -with only one thought, to hurry forward, the sooner to reach water. - -The boys had eaten nothing since early in the day, for after they had -become so thirsty they could not endure the thought of dry food. And -they ate very little the day before while in the jail, for even when -there was water to assist, the food they had was very unpalatable. So -their strength was failing greatly, though they hardly realized it, -even unconsciously, and certainly did not think about it, in their -frenzy to reach the mouth of the cañon where they expected to find -water. - -The two raced on at a speed which, under ordinary conditions, and -without the stimulus of an overpowering desire, would have soon -exhausted them. They kept the trail in the dark with the instinct that -is shown by animals, rather than by any exercise of reason, and they -paid no attention to its direction so long as they were advancing, as -they supposed, to water. With the terrible disappointment they had -experienced in finding a dry wash where they had expected a stream, -their desire for water had increased so greatly as to be fairly -consuming, and left no room for any other thought. - -Suddenly Sidney, who was in the lead, stopped short,--so suddenly in -his swift course that his brother plunged forcibly against him. When -Raymond had recovered his balance he asked anxiously, in a strained, -unnatural voice,-- - -“What’s the matter, Sid?” - -“See that trail!” replied Sidney. - -Raymond stooped and peered at the ground in the darkness. The trail -turned back at a sharp angle and ascended in almost the opposite -direction, plainly the first turn of a switchback that climbed the -mountain. - -“That means we’re on the wrong road,” said Sidney. “I’m sure the road -we want doesn’t go up over the mountain like that, and, anyway, we -shan’t find water this way.” - -“Then we’ll have to go back,” said Raymond in a hopeless tone, “and -hunt for another trail.” - -“It’s a long way,” said Sidney doubtfully. “I think we must have been -tramping fully two hours, and after we found another trail we’d have to -follow it up to water, maybe two hours longer. I doubt if we are equal -to that.” - -With the new disappointment, after the great exertion that had preceded -it, the boys had nearly collapsed. Their legs gave way under them and -they sank to the ground. - -“Sid!”--and there was a note of terror in Raymond’s voice--“maybe this -country is like Lower California, and there is no surface water.” - -“It can’t be; there are so many people living here.” - -“But perhaps the people in the village get all their water from wells.” - -“That’s so; I never thought of that; maybe they do.” - -“I’m going back to the village, Sid, for water.” And Raymond struggled -to his feet. - -“We must not do a foolish thing, Ray, just because we feel desperate. -If we go back I don’t believe we’ll ever leave there alive. I think -there is water in the cañon above the village, too, for you know there -was running water where we camped below.” - -Raymond hesitated, partly convinced by his brother’s reasoning. - -“What do you propose to do?” he asked. - -“I think it’s too far to go back by the trail,” replied Sidney, “and we -can’t get straight down the mountain in the dark. I blame myself for -not noticing that we were climbing quite a grade, but that can’t be -helped now, and really, I could hardly think of anything but water.” - -“I can’t think of anything else now. You were not to blame, Sid, any -more than I was. We were simply frantic, both of us.” - -“Don’t you think, Ray, that we could stay here till daylight? That -would be better than to blunder around in the dark, and wear ourselves -out, and perhaps break our arms and legs.” - -Raymond stood without replying, and Sidney continued:-- - -“We can leave here just as soon as it is light enough to get down the -mountain. We can go straight down, then, and it probably won’t be more -than two or three miles. And I believe we’ll find water when we get -there, Ray. It will be flowing in the mouth of the cañon, if anywhere.” - -“Can you stay here till morning without water, Sid?” asked Raymond -finally. - -“I believe I can, because I think it’s the only thing for us to do. It -will be hard, I admit. I would rather have a drink now than anything -else under Heaven.” - -Raymond threw his blankets down on the ground and began to unroll them -without speaking. - -“Won’t you eat a little bread first, Ray?” asked his brother. - -“No; I can’t eat.” - -“I think we ought to eat something, though. If we don’t we’ll be so -weak by morning we shan’t be able to reach water. If we chew the driest -part of the bread very thoroughly we can swallow it.” - -“All right,” said Raymond dully; “give me a piece.” - -Sidney opened his knapsack, felt for the driest piece of bread, and, -breaking off the driest portion of that, handed it to Raymond. Then he -selected a bit for himself and they sat on their blankets and munched -the crusts. Even with the most faithful chewing they found it difficult -to swallow the morsels, but they persevered and managed to consume -nearly all of the pieces which Sidney had apportioned them. - -Then they opened their blankets on the smoothest bit of ground they -could find in the dark, and huddled down in them. Neither boy felt like -talking. The reclining position was a relief, for their fatigue was -great, but the rest it brought was more a sort of apathy than sleep. - -They had not been lying long when Raymond began to mutter and talk -unintelligibly and frequently started up violently. Sidney spoke to him -at such times, but was unable to attract his attention, so finally, -when the boy sprang up in such a frenzy, Sidney would reach out and -place his hand soothingly on Raymond’s shoulder or his hand, and that -always quieted him. - -That occurred at such frequent intervals that it seemed to Sidney as -though it had gone on forever, and would continue without end. He would -no more than settle down in his blankets and sink into a delicious -stupor when Raymond would jump up and cry out, and he would have to -take hold of him to quiet him. So it went with almost mechanical -regularity until Sidney was dazed. - -But extreme exhaustion at length prevailed and both boys lay without -moving. That change took place so near morning that when the boys had -become quiet they did not wake early as they intended. They did not -rouse at all until the sun shone hot upon them, then Sidney opened his -eyes. He could not remember at first where he was. His mouth felt queer -and stiff and uncomfortably full of something. He looked about, vaguely -at first, when his gaze rested on Raymond and it all came back to him. -He remembered their flight in the dark from the village, their having -taken the wrong road, and their failure to find water. - -The thought of water brought Sidney’s mind back to his own condition -and he realized that the something which filled his mouth so -uncomfortably was his tongue, which was badly swollen. That realization -made him get up as quickly as he was able. He stood and looked down -into the valley. The trail which they had followed by mistake had taken -them along the side of the mountain until they were directly above -the gorge that narrowed from the upper end of the valley. Down there, -glistening in the sun, perhaps two miles away, Sidney saw a thread of -water. At the sight he started to plunge down the mountain to reach it, -but he had taken no more than two or three steps when he remembered -with a shock that he was leaving his brother behind. - -With a crucial effort Sidney relinquished the thought of prompt relief -and turned back and spoke to Raymond in a voice that was thick and -unmanageable, but received no reply. Then he stooped and took hold of -him, but was obliged to shake him several times before he roused. - -Raymond finally looked around and sat up, but did not seem to -comprehend what was wanted. Sidney tried to explain that there was -water in sight, but his voice was little more than a croak. At last he -succeeded in getting Raymond on his feet and started with him down the -mountain. Each boy wore his knapsack still slung over his shoulder, but -their blankets and cloaks they did not think about, and left lying on -the ground. - -It was a difficult task that Sidney had before him. His own wits were -so befuddled by raging thirst that he could not think clearly, and it -was only by a supreme effort of the will that he could fix his mind on -a subject and keep it there. Two days and nights only without water, -but when his mind tried to go back to that last drink in the jail, it -seemed as though half a lifetime must have passed since. - -Raymond was able to help himself very little; he could only stumble -forward when he was guided and supported by his brother. In that way -they proceeded slowly down the mountain slope. Sidney had almost -uncontrollable impulses to desert his brother and rush headlong down -the hill to the water which he knew was at its foot, but he had a dim, -undefined fear that if he did that he would not get back to Raymond -until it was too late. So he stuck by his brother and they went down -together. - -Two miles is not far, and it was probably not more than that from the -place where the boys slept, or rather where they passed the night, on -the mountain, down to the bottom of the gorge. Moreover, the goal was -in plain view, and every step was down hill. But to Sidney, who was -nearly at the point of collapse, and who was burdened with his almost -insensible brother, the distance over the rocky, broken ground seemed -interminable. - -The boys stumbled along, Sidney dragging his brother and sometimes -falling and picking himself up with difficulty. Raymond, too, -frequently fell over rocks and into holes, and was pulled up by his -companion. Each time that happened it became increasingly difficult to -put the boy on his feet again. - -Hours, it seemed to Sidney, passed in the endless struggle. Finally, -however, they reached a point where the descent became abruptly much -steeper, the last nearly a perpendicular drop to the bottom of the -gorge. That was the hardest stretch of all. Down that declivity Sidney -went first, supporting his brother’s weight on his shoulders. It was -but little better than carrying an inert body, and the boy trembled -with the strain. But it came to an end, and with his nearly inanimate -burden he dropped on the sand at the bottom of the cliff. - -Sidney lay there panting, his parched nostrils unable properly to admit -air to his lungs, and his mouth and throat so swollen and dry that but -little aid was possible that way. For a few moments he nearly lost -consciousness; then came a remembrance of the salvation that was so -near, and he struggled to his feet and staggered the few yards to the -little stream. Throwing himself on the ground, with his scooped hand he -dashed water into his mouth and over his face. - -Oh, the blessed, indescribable relief that moisture gave! But with the -return of reason that it brought came the memory of his brother, and -with an almost superhuman effort of self-restraint, Sidney dipped up -water in his hat and went back to Raymond. Kneeling by the unconscious -boy’s side, he plunged his hand into the water and dripped the -life-giving fluid into Raymond’s mouth and over his face. Occasionally -he allowed himself the luxury of a sip, but he resolutely refused to -allow his own desire to interfere with his ministry to his brother, -until Raymond began to stir and opened his eyes. - - - - -CHAPTER XII RESTING - - -The return of the boys to anything like a normal condition was very -slow, though Sidney had the courage and good sense to parcel out the -water, both to himself and to Raymond. He allowed his brother to take -only a swallow or two at intervals, and he restrained himself in the -same way. At first it required a self-control that was almost beyond -his strength, but as they absorbed the restoring fluid their ravening, -consuming appetite decreased, and it became a joy, instead of a -tantalizing torture, to sip the water slowly. Presently, too, as their -mouths and throats became softened they were able to talk, if not with -ease, at least with little difficulty. - -“That was as near as I want to come to passing in my checks, Sid,” said -Raymond as they lay on the sand below the cañon wall. - -“Yes, it was quite close enough.” - -“I would have done it, too, if I had been alone. You must have just -dragged me down the mountain.” - -“You didn’t seem very anxious to come, and that’s a fact.” - -“You know, Sid, I don’t remember a thing after we lay down last night, -but I had the most delightful dreams.” - -“You didn’t act as though they were delightful.” - -“Why, what did I do?” - -“You kept jumping up and calling out.” - -“And keeping you awake, I suppose.” - -“Yes, a little.” - -“Poor old Sid; you have a hard time getting me through.” - -“But when it comes to gun play, then you take care of us both.” - -“Well, that’s one thing I can do,--handle a gun.” - -“I hope you’ll not have any more of it to do, though.” - -“Do you think, Sid, that we are safe here? I haven’t looked, but I -should think the trail that we missed last night must pass through this -gorge.” - -“Yes, it does. I saw the tracks out there in the sand.” - -“I suppose it must be traveled occasionally.” And Raymond stood up and -looked along the cañon wall. “That looks like a little ravine coming in -up there. Let’s see if there isn’t some place that we can crawl into -for shelter.” - -“Yes, I guess we’d better.” And Sidney stood up and stretched stiffly. -“We are certainly too exposed here. But do you know, Ray, I’m so lame -and sore that I can hardly move.” - -“I’m not very lame,--just tired, that’s all; but then you worked harder -than I did.” - -The boys moved slowly along the sand to the cleft in the cañon wall -which Raymond had indicated. They found a very narrow chasm that -had been cut through the rock by the occasional torrential rains of -centuries. Its bottom, for some yards back, was on a level with the -sandy floor of the cañon and was not more than ten feet wide. Overhead -the cleft was very irregular, in places the two walls nearly coming -together. Extending back on the right side beneath the overhanging rock -was a sheltered space, very like a small cave. - -“Gee! Sid,” exclaimed Raymond, “that’s a fine place, and nobody can see -us from the cañon. But, jiminy! where are our blankets? Did we leave -them up on the mountain?” - -“I guess we did. I hadn’t thought of them at all. But I don’t believe I -can crawl up there after them to-night; I feel too gone for anything.” - -“No wonder you feel gone,” said Raymond; “we haven’t eaten a thing -to-day. We’ve been so busy drinking since we got down to the cañon that -I had forgotten all about grub.” - -“I can’t remember exactly,” said Sidney, “but I don’t think there is -much grub.” - -“Well, there’s some, anyway. You get out what there is, Sid, and I’ll -take the cup and bring up some water. I feel as though I should want to -keep right on drinking forever.” - -It had been very late in the morning when the boys roused from their -night of stupor on the side of the mountain, and then it had taken a -long time for Sidney to get himself and his brother down to the bottom -of the cañon. After they had reached water they were also a long time -in getting back any semblance of strength, so when they retreated to -the little cave under the cañon wall, it was nearly night and the sun -had already dropped back of the mountains. - -Sidney, when he examined the knapsacks, found there was a moderate -supply of bread and cheese. The latter, with water to remove the effect -of its salty condition, was extremely palatable, and the boys made what -they declared was a sumptuous supper. - -“Do you realize, Sid,” said Raymond, as they lay on the sand munching -bread and cheese, and frequently sipping water, of which they seemed -never to be able to get enough, “that we have eaten nothing for -twenty-four hours, and then only a little bread in that deserted house, -because we had no water to wash it down? And we’ve done some strenuous -work since, too.” - -“We haven’t eaten much, but you know we did eat a little bread up on -the mountain last night.” - -“I don’t remember eating any bread,” declared Raymond. - -“Have you forgotten how I urged you to eat something, and you finally -took a dry crust?” - -“Yes; I don’t remember a thing about it. But I do remember the dreams -I had. I was in swimming most of the time, and it was always down in -Mexico, in the Conchos River. Gee, but it was fine!” - -“If it was so fine I don’t see why you made such a rumpus.” - -“I suppose I was swimming hard, and splashing around.” - -“I didn’t observe much splashing. It was a mighty dry swim.” And Sidney -laughed rather ruefully. - -“Do you know what the date is, Sid?” - -“No, I haven’t the least idea, and I don’t believe I could figure it -out, after all we have done.” - -“Do you suppose it’s September yet?” - -“September,” repeated Sidney thoughtfully; “maybe it is. I should think -it might be December.” - -The boys had by that time finished their supper, and Sidney carefully -packed away the bread and cheese that was left. Then they stretched out -on the sand, beginning to feel quite like themselves again. - -“I wish I knew where father is,” said Sidney. - -“He may be back in New York by this time.” - -“Oh, I don’t think he can be,” exclaimed Sidney. Then, after a moment -of reflection, “Still, he may be, too. I hope he is.” - -“Are you sorry we started out the way we did?” asked Raymond. - -“Well, I don’t know,” replied Sidney. “If we had known the Russian -Government was going to be so good to Americans, we might have waited -in Nizhni-Novgorod. But we did what we thought was the best thing.” - -“Gee! but that was a long time ago,” said Raymond. “If we had only -been able to send a message to mother! She must have had a tough time -waiting in New York after she knew about the war.” - -“Yes; I feel worse about that than anything else.” And there was a -suspicion of moisture in Sidney’s eyes. “Poor mother! I suppose we -ought not to have insisted on coming when she was so opposed to it.” - -“But who could have imagined there would be such a war? Even mother -thought we should be safe from war over here. And father wanted to -come, too.” - -“Well, father is about as much of a boy as we are.” - -“This is the toughest proposition we were ever up against, Sid.” - -“It certainly is, and after we are over the mountains we don’t know -what we’ll strike on the other side.” - -“Maybe America will join in the war by that time, and we’ll be arrested -as spies.” - -“That couldn’t be,” said Sidney. “If America goes in she’ll be on the -side of England and France and Russia. So I think we’ll be safe till we -reach the Black Sea; then there’s no knowing what Turkey may do to us.” - -“It would sure be a comfort to know what’s going on.” - -As Raymond spoke, the boys heard voices, and peering around the corner -of rock they saw two horsemen cantering down the cañon. - -“I’m glad we had sense to hide,” said Raymond, as they watched the men. -“I should think those fellows would swelter in their long coats and -those awful woolly caps.” - -“I’m wondering,” said Sidney, “how much travel there is on that other -trail. I feel so much better now that I’ve a good mind to go up after -our blankets.” - -“It would be dark before you could get there. We’d better wait till -morning. That’s probably only a wood trail and there won’t be much -travel over it.” - -“If it’s a wood trail,” suggested Sidney, “somebody may start out after -wood early in the morning, or somebody may have come down to-night, -already.” - -“Well, if they’ve come down already,” said Raymond, “we can’t do any -good by going up now.” - -“It’s not going to be very comfortable here to-night without any -blankets.” And Sidney looked about them suggestively. - -“Oh, it won’t be so bad,” said Raymond; “we can stretch out on the -sand, and it’s not cold.” - -The relief brought by food and drink after their privation, and the -delightful peace of calm security after their strenuous exertions, -induced a languid drowsiness that became sleep almost as soon as the -boys had lain down. - -A cold night wind came down off the high mountains and whistled and -wailed through the little ravine, but the boys in their cave were out -of its course, and its moaning, instead of disturbing them, made them -sleep sounder. As they had gone to sleep, however, with the closing-in -of night, the long hours before morning brought thorough rest, and they -were awake by break of day. - -Raymond proposed that they should go up after their blankets before -eating breakfast, and so perhaps get ahead of any early wood-chopper. -The slope did not look so long as it had seemed the night before, -and they were soon halfway up it. At that height they could see the -village from which they had escaped, looking, from that distance, like -a collection of big rocks. And they saw, too, coming on the trail which -they had taken in the dark, a man who was driving a donkey ahead of him. - -“There’s our wood-chopper, Ray,” said Sidney, “and he’s going to reach -the blankets ahead of us.” - -“Oh, well, he can’t get away with them, and we can take care of one man -all right.” - -Hurry as the boys might, the man with the donkey arrived first. He was, -apparently, ignorant that there was any one near him, but the boys -were sure that he must have seen them on the bare slope. When he came -to the blankets he stopped and examined them for a moment, then quickly -gathering them up, he threw them across the donkey and started on. - -“Hold on, there!” shouted Raymond. - -The man, however, instead of stopping, tried to whip his donkey to -a swifter gait. But the little animal was so used to traveling at a -walk that it could not be persuaded to go faster, and the boys soon -overhauled them. - -Raymond ran up on one side of the donkey, and taking hold of his head, -stopped him. The man, on the other side, drew a wicked-looking knife -and reaching across the animal’s back made a lunge at Raymond. Sidney, -who was a few steps behind, saw the movement and cried a warning to his -brother, who leaped back in time to avoid the thrust. - -[Illustration: THE FELLOW DREW A WICKED LOOKING KNIFE] - -“Oh, no, you don’t!” cried Raymond, and whipping out his revolver he -covered the man with it. - -The fellow stood, without flinching, watching them with gleaming eyes -while Sidney removed the blankets and cloaks from the donkey’s back. - -“Now, go on,” ordered Raymond, motioning up the trail. - -The man sulkily took charge of his donkey, and drove the animal along -without once looking back. - - - - -CHAPTER XIII THEIR FIRST GAME - - -“If we had waited for breakfast,” said Sidney, as the boys stood -watching the mountaineer climb the switchback of the trail, “we should -have been minus our blankets.” - -“Gracious! It makes me shiver just to think of hiking over those -mountains without any blankets.” And Raymond gazed off at the Caucasus, -whose crests shone white in the clear morning air. - -“And speaking of breakfast,” said Sidney, as he made his blanket and -cloak into the usual roll for packing, “reminds me that I’ll be quite -ready for it when we get down to the bottom.” - -“I wish there was a good breakfast ready for us,” said Raymond, as they -started down the mountain. “I’m tired to death of that everlasting dry -bread.” - -“Dry bread, you know, is more hygienic than fresh bread.” - -“It may be hygienic, but it’s not high living. I just long for -something really tasty, like quail or rabbit.” - -“Well, there are rabbits here. I saw one this morning down in the -cañon. Do you think you could hit one with that revolver?” - -“Of course I could hit one! What’s the matter with you?” - -“Then I hope we’ll see another.” - -The long night’s rest, after food and drink, had made the boys feel -so fine that they already had little to remind them of their trying -experience of the previous two days. They went down the mountain at -a swinging gait, and as they approached the bottom, Raymond’s mind -reverted with longing to the subject of rabbit. - -“Sid,” he suggested, “if you’ll hang back a little I’ll go on ahead and -maybe I’ll see a rabbit as we near the cañon.” - -“All right,” agreed Sidney. “You’d better give me your blankets; you -don’t want to be bothered with them if you’re going to shoot.” - -Raymond passed his blanket roll over to Sidney, who sat down on a rock -to give his brother time to get ahead. The boy proceeded cautiously -down the slope with his revolver held ready, but rabbits were, -apparently, either very scarce or very shy, for none appeared. He -stopped on the brink of the steeper descent just before the bottom, and -after pausing to make an examination there, he turned and called out to -Sidney in a disgusted tone,-- - -“No use, Sid; come on.” - -The boys clambered down the rocks and trudged through the sand to their -camping-place, Raymond grumbling as they went. - -“Tough luck, I say, not to see hide or hair of a rabbit, hungry as we -are.” - -They reached the little ravine, and there, just inside the entrance, -sat a big gray rabbit! - -Raymond threw up his revolver, and bringing it down, fired as it came -to a level. It was done in an instant, without apparent preparation, -and yet there on the sand with the greater part of its head missing, -lay the rabbit. - -“You are certainly a crackerjack with the gun, Ray,” exclaimed Sidney -admiringly. “If I had tried that I should have blown the rabbit all to -pieces, or else missed him entirely.” - -“It all depends on believing you’re going to hit. And don’t hesitate; -fire as soon as you see your game through the sight.” - -“But you don’t sight at all, you just fire regardless.” - -Raymond laughed. “Well, I guess it’s instinct.” - -While Raymond was dressing the game Sidney gathered an armful of bits -of wood and brush, and carrying the fuel up into the little ravine, he -built a fire in an angle where it could not be seen from the cañon. He -fed the blaze until, by the time Raymond had the rabbit cleaned and -quartered, there was a thick bed of coals. Then the boys sharpened -sticks and holding the pieces of meat over the coals roasted them -beautifully. - -The meal that followed, Raymond declared was fit to be served on -Olympus. It would, perhaps, have been improved with a little salt, -for the boys had forgotten to supply themselves with that desirable -condiment. But the delicious roast meat was so much more savory than -anything they had eaten for days, and so much better than they expected -to have, that it seemed absolutely perfect. Besides furnishing an -ample breakfast, there was enough meat left for another meal, and that -they packed in the knapsacks with the bread and cheese. - -By the time breakfast was concluded the day was far advanced toward -noon, and the boys hastened on their way. The trail up the cañon, -though the bottom was very sandy, was sufficiently plain to leave the -travelers in no doubt. After two or three miles, too, where the cañon -became narrow and rocky, the trail turned to the right up the mountain, -and there, on the harder ground, it was well beaten. - -To the inexperienced traveler it would have seemed that the traffic -must be very considerable to maintain so well-defined a road. The boys, -however, were familiar with a land of scanty rainfall and knew that in -such a dry region tracks are obliterated very slowly. So they were not -uneasy about meeting people, for they knew that they might possibly -travel two or three days and see no one. If they might only be allowed -to place a reasonably safe distance between themselves and the village -where they had had such an unpleasant adventure, they would rather meet -people than not. - -The road plunged at once into difficult mountains, more difficult -than the boys had ever seen before. They did not know that the region -is called the “Russian Alps,” and that it furnishes scenery which is -grander and more magnificent than that in the true Alps. The road would -climb up out of a cañon for two or three thousand feet by a series of -zigzags over a lofty divide, and descend by another switchback into -a similar cañon on the other side. The cañons were narrow, deep, and -gloomy, and were crowded so closely together that there was absolutely -no level ground between. - -From the summit of any high divide the boys looked off both ways and -saw only a confused jumble of mountains and ravines, picked out by -occasional salient peaks. Sometimes there was a descent of not more -than a mile in a direct line, and yet the road was so tortuous that -half a day of strenuous walking was required to reach the bottom. - -On the sides of the cañons were perched villages, curious collections -of rough rock houses, always above the bottom of the cañon, and often -far above, away out of reach, except by an hour of hard climbing. As -the boys advanced into the mountains the villages were situated at -greater heights, and were more difficult of access. - -For many hundreds of years the great Caucasian Range was a harbor of -refuge for oppressed people of various nationalities. Greek and Roman -deserters from the armies of Alexander the Great and Pompey fled to its -fastnesses; Mongols found asylum there, and Arabs, Jews, and later, -Armenians. All these peoples, to insure their security, built their -habitations in inaccessible places. That they planned well was shown -by the way in which they held out against both Turks and Persians. -There is a saying among the Persians, which has become a proverb: “If -the Shah becomes too proud, let him make war with the highlanders of -Daghestan.” - -Though the boys walked as rapidly as possible in their anxiety to get -away from the village where they had been imprisoned, night came while -they were still up on the top of the first high divide which they had -climbed after leaving the cañon. Away behind, and far below them, was -the slope where they knew the village lay, though at that distance -they could not make out the houses. - -The boys saw that they would be obliged to pass the night on the -summit, for while it was still light where they were, down in the cañon -into which the trail descended it was already dark. They looked about -and found a place where two or three great rocks formed a protected -angle, and there they prepared to make their beds. That performance was -very simple, consisting only of picking the loose stones from a space -large enough for them to lie down. Then Sidney took their supper out of -the knapsacks. - -“Yum! yum!” said Raymond, as he watched his brother take out the food; -“won’t that rabbit be good, though!” - -Sidney paused and looked thoughtful for a moment, then asked:-- - -“Is there anything you would specially like for supper, Ray?” - -“How about some caviare, like that we had on the Volga steamer, and a -cup of coffee; yes, and a little butter.” - -“What would you say to a glass of water?” - -Raymond looked thunderstruck. “For Heaven’s sake, Sid! We haven’t any -water, have we?” - -“I don’t find any here.” And Sidney peered into the knapsack. - -“What boneheads we are, Sid, and I was hardly moistened through after -that other dry spell.” And Raymond groaned dismally. - -“Well, I must say,” said Sidney, “I should think water would be the -last thing we’d forget now. We can’t get down to the bottom of that -cañon to-night, either, and there’s not likely to be any water this -side of the bottom.” And Sidney looked down into the deep gloom of the -ravine at their feet. - -“It’s a dry supper, that’s sure,” said Raymond. “It’s a good thing that -rabbit has no salt.” - -“Oh, well, we’ll forget all about it once we’re asleep, and we can hike -down to the next stream as soon as it’s light.” And Sidney spread the -meat, bread, and cheese out on the ground before them. - -“No cheese for yours truly, thank you,” said Raymond, “but I’ll take -some meat and bread, if you please.” - -“I guess it would be wise to let the cheese go by to-night,” agreed -Sidney; “it’s a little too salty for a dry lunch.” - -“There’s one thing sure, Sid; we’ve got to scare up something to carry -water in. We may be caught like this often.” - -“Meantime, we’ll have to stop where there is water, if we make only -half a day.” - -The roast rabbit was savory enough to assist the consumption of a -little dry bread, and the lack of water did not prevent the boys from -going to sleep almost as soon as they lay down. Early to bed, the old -jingle truthfully says, is early to rise, and the boys were awake -before the sun had touched the peaks around them, and while the cañons -were still in dense shadow. - -It required only a minute or two for the travelers to roll up their -blankets and start on their hike down into the next ravine. At its -bottom was a little stream that seemed, to the thirsty boys, to be -flowing nectar. - -In the afternoon of that day they observed a village, the first one, -but as it was perched up on the side of the ravine, and they happened -at that time to be in the bottom, they passed stealthily, and thought -themselves fortunate to get by. An hour or two later, when they found -that the trail was leaving the cañon to climb another mountain, they -camped right there by the stream, determined not to be surprised by -another dry camp. - - - - -CHAPTER XIV LESGHIAN HOSPITALITY - - -The boys need not have been uneasy about water, for as they advanced to -the main range every ravine was the bed of a foaming torrent, and there -were no more dry camps. The trail crossed the streams by bridges of -curious construction. Sometimes the bridge spanned a gorge high above -the stream, and sometimes it was thrown across from banks that were -near the water. - -To build the bridges logs were projected a few feet from one side, -being held in place by an abutment of rocks which was built about them -and in which they were bedded. Above those logs were laid other longer -ones which projected a few feet farther, and were lashed to the lower -ones by leather thongs, secured at the inner end by the rock abutment. -That was repeated until from each side extended a span so far out that -finally the intervening space could be covered by a length of poles. -Then a hand-rail was placed along each side, and the result was a rude -but stable and safe suspension bridge. - -The bridges were a never-failing source of interest and wonder to the -boys. Each one that they crossed seemed quite as remarkable as the -first one had appeared, and they always stopped to look in admiration. -Days afterward, in Batum, when they were describing their mountain -journey to an English-speaking Russian, they were told that in all -the mountain region the building of bridges was so difficult that the -destruction of one was punished by death. - -Raymond shot another rabbit, which eked out their scanty stock of bread -and cheese for a couple of days. Then, as the food was almost gone, -they decided they must stop at the first village they came to. That -they found situated high on a mountain-side. Though they had sighted -the houses early in the afternoon, the climb up to them was so steep -and so long that night was closing in when they arrived. - -That village, like the one from which they had escaped, was built in -terraces on a mountain slope, but it was much steeper, even, than the -first village. The road went up in front of the lower tier of houses, -where were standing several men, who, apparently, had been watching the -boys’ approach. - -Sidney selected the most important-looking of the group and tendered -him their passport, with an inquiry for accommodation for the night. -The man received the paper, examined it curiously, and then passed it -on to another near him. It went around the circle, and was the subject -of an animated conversation, coming back in the end to Sidney, with, -however, no intelligible comment. - -“Can you tell us where we will find supper and lodging?” Sidney asked. - -The man who had received the paper looked mystified and replied in -a tongue that sounded to the boys different from anything they had -previously heard: as indeed it was, for in the mountainous part of -Daghestan nearly every village has its own dialect, there being about -twenty different languages spoken in that area. - -“It’s no use to talk to them, Sid,” said Raymond; “they won’t -understand a word you say.” - -“I know they won’t, but I can’t just stand and stare at them. It’s -much easier to say something, even if they don’t understand.” - -“We’ll have to use pantomine, the way Ramon used to with the -Tarahumaras. Let’s see what I can do.” And Raymond made the motion of -putting something into his mouth, at the same time working his jaws -vigorously. - -The man laughed, as did all the others. The number present had been -increased by many who were curious to see the strangers, and laughter -and joking remarks extended through the crowd. - -Raymond’s face grew very red. “They are easily amused,” he said -sarcastically, “but I’ll bet they understood what I meant.” - -It was apparent that they did understand, for the man who had been -addressed beckoned to the boys to follow him, and proceeded to a -near-by house. As they were about to enter, something over the door -caught Raymond’s eye, and he stopped and stared incredulously. - -“Goodness! Sid, look over the door!” he exclaimed. - -On the lintel were tacked the bony skeletons of two human hands. - -“That looks pretty gruesome,” said Sidney; “I wonder what it means.” - -“I suppose it’s a pleasant reminder of some nice feud. We’d better not -show too much interest in it; they might not like that.” - -The room that they entered had a floor that was earth mixed with -chopped straw packed down hard and smooth. It was quite dark, being -lighted only by the door and two small portholes of windows that had -neither sash nor glass. Supper, which consisted of a kettle of stewed -mutton, was just ready, and was placed on the floor in the center of -the room. The family gathered about the kettle, each person provided -with a sharp stick with which he fished out fragments of meat. They -also dipped pieces of black bread in the broth, and soaked them before -they were eaten. The boys were given sticks and helped themselves as -the others did, finding the stew extremely savory. - -When supper was finished there was the sound of a fife outside, and the -family all got up and went out, followed by the boys. They found a -large gathering of people, with torches placed around on the buildings -for light. The fife was playing shrilly, and as a drum began to mark -time, a man stepped out into a space that had been left in the center. -Then a woman from another side joined him and they danced in a stately -fashion. The fife and the drum vied with each other in the noise they -made, and frequently, as the couple danced, there was a fusillade of -pistol shots, fired by the spectators. - -Presently, when those dancers had become weary, they retired and their -places were taken by others, who danced in the same fashion, to the -same accompaniment of pistol shots added to the music of the fife and -drum. Besides the circle of people surrounding the dancers, many others -were perched on the flat-topped roofs of the near-by houses. - -It was well into the night before the dancing ceased and the people -scattered to their homes. The boys went with their host, who indicated -some rugs on the floor where they might spread their beds. The rugs -were fine, silky, and delightfully soft. - -“Gee! Sid,”--and Raymond stooped to examine the beautiful rug before -placing his blankets on it,--“if mother was here I’ll bet that rug -would go with her when she left, if she had to carry it herself.” - -“She’d just go wild over them, Ray. They’re finer than anything she’s -got.” - -“Heck! Sid, why can’t we buy one to take home to her?” - -“I’m afraid it would be pretty heavy to pack, with the load we’ve -already got,” said Sidney doubtfully. “I’d just love to do it, though, -it would please her so.” - -“We haven’t got much of a load, Sid, and these rugs are not heavy, -they’re so fine and thin. And one would be as good as another blanket. -We ought to have more bedding, anyway, as we go higher up.” - -“Well, we’ll see in the morning if we can strike a bargain with that -fellow. I’ve got to get to sleep now, I’m dead tired. I’m glad we don’t -have a dance every night.” - -In the morning, when the boys had eaten and wished to depart, Sidney -took a piece of bread, and opening their knapsacks, showed that they -contained no food, at the same time holding the bread up inquiringly. -Their host understood at once that they wished to buy food, and brought -two or three loaves of black bread. Then Sidney held four rubles out on -his open hand, motioning toward their beds to indicate that he wished -to include that accommodation as well as the food. The man took two -rubles from the four, and bowed in assent. - -There still remained the rug which the boys wished to buy, and Sidney -picked up the finer of the two pieces of carpet and held it up, saying, -“How much?” - -The man considered for a few moments, and held a short consultation -with his wife, after which he extended his hands with the fingers all -open. - -“He means ten rubles, Sid,” said Raymond. “That’s dirt cheap.” - -“It certainly is, and I guess we’d better take it.” Whereupon Sidney -nodded in affirmation and took out his purse for the money. “I hope -I’ve got enough here without going down under my clothes.” - -“If you haven’t, I have a few rubles in my purse.” - -“Yes, I have exactly ten rubles. When we’re out on the trail, Ray, you -must remind me to take some more money from my secret stock.” - -“Now I’ll take your cloak, Sid,” said Raymond, “and carry it with my -cloak and blanket. Then you take the rug with your blanket, and that -will be about even. Gee! won’t mother be pleased with that rug! And you -certainly are a peach, Sid, with sign language.” - -“I feel silly as can be when I try to talk without saying anything. I -wish we were in Mexico, or some other place where we could use Spanish.” - -When the boys started out they were obliged to drop down to the -bottom of the cañon again to pick up the trail. Then began the really -difficult part of their mountain journey. For several days they climbed -steep slopes by endless zigzags, or trod the edges of dizzy precipices. -The cañons were deep, dark, and narrow, and occurred one right after -another, with no intervening level ground. The boys were always either -straining forward to toil up a precipitous ascent, or holding back to -keep from pitching down another. And always when they opened their bed -under some sheltering rock they were at a higher elevation than on -the previous night. That meant, as a general thing, that each camp was -colder than the preceding one. - -The camps soon became very cold indeed, and the boys were obliged each -night to seek a spot that was protected from the biting winds that -raced and surged from the crests above. As soon as the sun was gone, -the cold air descended from the summits to take the place of the layers -that rose from the rocks which had been warmed during the day. - -The lower portions of the range had been destitute of trees, but -between that section and the heights that were above the timber line -was a zone where a little timber grew. When the boys reached that belt -they also ran into clouds and drizzling mists. - -One day the weather had been threatening and damp, but not actually -raining. Toward night, however, the clouds thickened and descended in -genuine rain. The boys saw that they would soon be soaked through, -their beds as well as their clothes. That would mean a night of misery, -so they hunted for a spot that was sheltered from the storm. Fortune -smiled on them, for almost immediately Sidney, who had gone a little to -one side of the trail to examine a ledge of rocks for possible shelter, -called out to his brother,-- - -“Here’s a dandy place, Ray.” - -In the face of the ledge was a narrow fissure which was just wide -enough, with some squeezing, to admit the boys. Once inside, however, -the opening proved to be a good-sized cave. The ceiling was high enough -for the boys to stand upright, and there was plenty of room for them -to spread their beds comfortably. Moreover, it was absolutely dry, and -there was a thick coating of fine soil on the floor which would make a -soft bed. - -“This is swell, Sid,” exclaimed Raymond, when they were inside. -“Jiminy! it’s good to be out of the rain. Just see how it’s coming down -now.” - -“Yes,” replied Sidney, “it’s raining so hard that we shan’t be able to -get any wood for a fire.” - -“Oh, well, it’s warm in here, and we have nothing to cook anyway. -I think there’s a little meat left, and there’s always that horrid -bread.” - -Raymond had succeeded in keeping them supplied with small game. The day -before he had shot two fine grouse, and there was still some of that -meat. The boys ate their cold supper and spread their beds before it -became dark, then sat in the gloom talking. Night fell rapidly, and -with the heavy downpour of rain it soon became very dark. The boys were -just about to roll up in their blankets for the night when they heard -strange noises outside. There was a low, muttered grumbling, mingled -with a strange whimpering. - -The boys sat breathless, listening intently. At first they thought it -must be some large animal, though they had seen no animals larger than -rabbits. In a moment, however, the voice whimpered complainingly, and -the boys thought it was surely a person in distress. The storm was -turning colder, and the rain and sleet were coming down in such volumes -that any one caught in it, perhaps insufficiently clothed, would suffer -greatly. - -Raymond was about to step to the opening and call out that there was -shelter near, when the whimpering ceased and the growling began -again, in a heavier, gruffer tone than at first. It was plain that it -could not be a human being that made such noises, and it seemed to the -frightened boys that it must be a very large animal. - -“What can it be, Sid?” whispered Raymond. - -“I don’t know, unless it’s a wolf. We’ve read of the terrible Russian -wolves.” - -“The animal that’s growling like that is bigger than a wolf,” declared -Raymond. - -“Then I hope it’s so big that it can’t squeeze in here.” - -The growling and muttering continued, and steadily drew nearer. The -boys sat shivering. The cave had grown much colder, they thought, and -their teeth chattered. Suddenly the noises ceased and there was a -dreadful silence. The rain was still pouring outside, with a steady -roar on the rocks, but the boys did not notice that, and it seemed to -them that all sounds had stopped. - -Silently the two sat in suspense, wondering what would happen, whether -they would suddenly be conscious of an animal in the cave with them. -Then they reflected that the entrance was so small that no large -animal could pass through, at least not quickly. - -They were gazing intently toward the opening, though the darkness was -so dense that not even its outline could be distinguished. As they sat, -rigid, they realized with a shock that they were looking at two small -balls of fire which must be just outside the opening. The fiery globes -remained stationary, and colder shivers ran along the boys’ spines. - - - - -CHAPTER XV A BLOCKADE - - -When the boys saw the two glowing spots of fire in the entrance to the -cave, for one sickening moment they imagined that it was something -supernatural. They waited tensely for whatever fearful development -might follow. - -“What can it be, Sid?” And Raymond’s voice trembled. - -“It’s beyond me. Is it outside, or in?” - -As they gazed, the glowing orbs rose slowly to about the height of -a man, where they again remained stationary. There was a rock wall -a short distance in front of the cave so that no sky-line could be -visible from the entrance. Consequently, in the pitch darkness there -was not the slightest suggestion of a form that could be distinguished. -It was as though the luminous points had raised independent of any -agency. But the fact of their rising to the height at which they -stopped suggested a possibility to Sidney, and he exclaimed under his -breath,-- - -“It must be a bear, Ray, and he’s risen to his hind legs.” - -“Gee! I believe it is, and those are his eyes.” - -“But don’t shoot, you would only wound him.” - -Sidney’s warning was too late, for as he spoke Raymond fired. The -glowing balls wavered, rapidly disappearing and reappearing several -times, then became extinguished. At the same time there was the sound -of scratching and straining, with groaning and grunting. Then there was -a cough or two and all was quiet. - -The boys waited with their hearts in their throats, expecting an attack -from some sort of formidable animal. But the silence continued. - -“You certainly hit him, Ray,” said Sidney. - -“Yes, but why didn’t he drop?” - -“Perhaps you didn’t kill him.” - -“Then why didn’t he run away, or attack us? And why is he so still now?” - -“I give it up,” said Sidney. “I wish I could see.” - -“I’m going to strike a match,” declared Raymond, “and find out what I -did do.” - -“Well,” said Sidney, rather dubiously, “I suppose that will do no harm. -If he wants to rush us he won’t wait for a light.” - -The match burned dimly and the boys strained their eyes to solve the -mystery held by the darkness. Then the blaze flared up brightly, and -there, erect in the entrance, loomed a huge bulk which the boys could -not see well enough to identify. - -Raymond smothered an exclamation when he saw it, but before either of -them could determine what it was, the light died down and they were -again left in darkness. - -The monster had seemed to be just crowding through the opening, which -he completely filled, and the apparition had appeared so lifelike that -the boys expected an immediate onslaught. They were appalled by the -size of the intruder, and in their cramped quarters only one result -seemed possible. Still there was no advance by the strange animal, and -the silence was still profound. - -“If that is a bear,” whispered Sidney, “why doesn’t he do something?” - -“We might as well be killed as scared to death in this way; I’m going -to strike another match.” - -Raymond took a cautious step toward the entrance and lighted a match. -The anxious boys thought the blaze would never stop sputtering and burn -clear and bright. When it did, Raymond held it up as close as he dared -and saw a great bear standing erect on his hind legs, apparently wedged -tightly in the opening. The animal’s head lay over to one side against -the rock, and blood dripped from the jaws. - -[Illustration: RAYMOND TOOK A CAUTIOUS STEP TOWARD THE ENTRANCE] - -“He’s dead!” exclaimed Raymond. “He must have been just squeezing -through when I fired into his mouth and killed him, and he was wedged -in too tight to fall.” - -“For Heaven’s sake, Ray, think what would have happened if you had done -as I said and not fired!” - -“Well, I did fire, and nothing happened. But wasn’t that a lucky shot?” - -“You always do just what you want to with a gun, Ray, whether it’s -light or dark.” - -“Oh, this was a chance shot, of course, for I couldn’t see a thing but -his eyes. It’s mighty strange that his eyes shone so when it’s so -dark.” - -“The rock at the back of the cave is white,” said Sidney, “and it must -reflect a little light. He could probably see us, though we couldn’t -see him.” - -“I move we get to bed,” said Raymond; “such scares make me awfully -tired.” - -“And leave that fellow standing in the door?” - -“Why not? He can’t hurt us now.” - -“No, I guess he’s past that. Well, I’m tired, too, and I’ll beat you to -bed.” - -In less than a minute the boys had pulled off their shoes and crawled -into their blankets, and in another minute they were asleep. Their -excited, turbulent life of the previous few weeks, and the great -fatigue they underwent at times, had put them in good training to sleep -promptly. An opportunity was all they needed, and they immediately -became oblivious to all their worries. - -When the boys woke in the morning and saw the light peering around the -huge form that was still jammed in the entrance, the sight was rather -startling. A moment’s reflection, however, recalled the events of the -previous evening, and alarm became curiosity. They found that the bear -would undoubtedly have succeeded in passing the entrance had he not -been killed in the nick of time. While his body was a tight fit in the -opening, it was really held upright, after the fatal shot, mainly by -projections of the unequal rocky sides. He was, however, quite as big -as he had appeared in the dim light. - -When Raymond fired, the bullet, as he had surmised the night before, -had entered the bear’s mouth, which probably had been open, and had, -undoubtedly, penetrated the brain, causing instant death. The boys -pushed and lifted on the carcass until they succeeded in crowding -it out sufficiently to let it fall to the ground, where it lay just -outside the entrance. - -“Gee, but he’s a whopper!” exclaimed Raymond, as they stood looking -down at the prostrate animal. - -“He would have made things lively for us,” said Sidney, “if he had once -got inside.” - -“Yes, but he didn’t get inside, thanks to this little pet of mine.” And -Raymond patted his revolver approvingly. - -“I’ll tell you what, Ray; I’m going to sharpen my knife on a rock and -see if I can’t cut out some steaks.” - -“That will be swell!” agreed Raymond. - -Sidney found it was not easy to put an edge on a knife with only a -piece of rock for a whetstone. The beast’s hide, too, was extremely -tough. He finally, however, succeeded in laying the skin back enough to -cut two or three fine steaks. - -The rain had ceased in the night, and morning had come clear and cold. -While Sidney was struggling with the meat, Raymond gathered wood and -built a fire. By the time the steaks were ready there was a fine bed of -coals to broil them, and the boys were soon eating a savory breakfast. - -“It’s a shame to leave that fine pelt here,” said Raymond, looking from -the steak he was consuming over to its source. - -“Yes, it is,” assented Sidney, “but, of course, we can’t do anything -with it. If we had it in El Paso, though, it would pay a passage home -for both of us.” - -“I guess it would,” sighed Raymond; “and to think we’ve got to let it -lie here! It’s the first bear I ever shot, too.” - -“And you shot him blindfolded. I don’t see how you managed to do it.” - -“Well, I aimed just a little below his eyes. I intended to shoot him in -the head, but I’d forgotten a bear’s snout is so pointed. If the bullet -hadn’t struck him in the mouth, just by a chance, it wouldn’t have -killed him.” - -“I wish father was here to have some of this meat,” said Sidney; “you -know he’s awfully fond of bear steak.” - -“Gee!” exclaimed Raymond, “I wish we knew where he is; it makes me -homesick to think about him.” - -“I guess mother will never let us go away from home again,” said -Sidney, “after we get back this time.” - -“_If_ we get back this time, you mean.” - -“Oh, we’ll get back all right, Ray, and don’t you forget it.” - -“I certainly shan’t, if we get there.” - -It had taken the boys a good while to prepare the steaks and cook -them, so by the time they had finished their breakfast it was later -than they usually took the road. They hurried off, therefore, with a -last regretful look at the fine skin which they were obliged to leave -behind. - -The elevation had been rapidly increasing and the mountains had become -rockier and more precipitous. The sleet which fell the night they were -in the cave was the first frozen rain they had encountered, but the -snow-covered heights had even before that sometimes seemed very near. - -The night after the boys’ adventure with the bear was very cold and -they searched for another cave, but unsuccessfully. They found, -however, a crevice in the rocks that was large enough for them to crawl -into. They could not lie down, but they huddled up close together in -their blankets and were warmer than they would have been outside. - -The next night the boys found shelter in the mountain village of -Bezheeta, which perched at an elevation of about nine thousand feet. -The warmth of the rude stone house in which they slept was very -pleasant after the exposure of the previous nights. Bezheeta is at -the foot of the ultimate great ridge which forms the backbone of -the Caucasus Range. The snowy summits towered some three thousand -feet above the village, and appeared to the weary boys an almost -insurmountable barrier. - -There was no dance that night as there had been at the other village -where they stopped. The night air was too frosty for such an outdoor -function. Consequently the boys were allowed to get to sleep early, -and were up correspondingly early in the morning. That enabled them to -start out on their last climb long before the sun appeared over the -mountain crests. - -The trail went up the steep ascent by a switchback which crossed, back -and forth, the bed of a foaming stream that came down from a glacier -above. At first the walking was good, over hard rock, but presently -they reached snow, and tramped for a time through half-frozen slush. -That greatly increased the effort necessary to climb the steep trail. -The boys slipped and slid, and it sometimes seemed to them that -they hardly advanced at all. Their feet became soaked and cold, and -altogether they felt very miserable and discouraged. - -Then gradually the slush underfoot became firmer and changed to old -snow that was packed and frozen hard. Finally the noise of the torrent -ceased; that, too, was frozen. Still, up, up, the boys toiled, their -packs growing heavier and their breath shorter. - -As the day advanced, clouds gathered about the summits, and from these -masses snow-squalls swept down across the ravines and ridges. Several -of these surging gusts enveloped the boys. At first the flurries of -snow were light and rather fun than otherwise, but as the boys gained -in altitude the storms increased in density and in severity. Finally, -when one came they did not try to breast it, but stopped, in the -shelter of some rock if possible, till it passed. - -Occasionally there was a heavy noise like rolling thunder that echoed -from cliff to cliff. The boys thought it very strange that there should -be thunder with what was, in effect, a midwinter storm. Also there was -no lightning, only the reverberating noise, but they could think of no -other cause, and accepted the thunder theory as the only one. - -Then the perplexing question was solved in a startling manner. The boys -were toiling up the steep side of a ravine, with the slopes above them -more nearly perpendicular than where they were. A storm, which appeared -to be heavier than any previous one, passed along the mountain, -extending beyond the boys, and nearly smothering them in swirling snow. - -When the gust had gone by, just as they were able to see once more, -there was a roar directly above them. They looked up and saw what -appeared to be the whole mountain-side sweeping down upon them. - -“It’s an avalanche, Ray!” cried Sidney; “run to one side.” - -The boys ran back on the trail to the first angle, then plunged off -into the snow, floundering along in frantic haste. They had time, -however, to take only a few steps when the great mass of snow was upon -them. With it were carried rocks and brush, whatever the torrent had -been able to tear from the mountain. - -When the boys saw that they could not escape, and were about to be -overwhelmed, they seized hold of a small scrub tree that was growing -from a cleft in the rock, and hung on for life. - - - - -CHAPTER XVI SNOWED UNDER - - -When the boys clung to the tree in the direct path of the avalanche, -their action was the instinctive effort toward self-preservation, for -they did not really hope it would save them. The mass of snow that was -advancing upon them appeared to be carrying everything before it, and -they fully expected, in the moment they had for thought, to be added to -that accumulation of débris. - -The great bulk, coming down with such terrifying velocity, reached them -and piled over them, but not with the resistless force they were braced -to meet. The main body of the avalanche passed with a roar just beyond, -and plunged into the cañon below. The boys had paused in the edge of -the torrent, where its velocity was slight as compared with that of the -center. They crawled out of the snow that covered them and looked at -each other with wide eyes. - -“I can’t think of anything that could be worse than an avalanche,” -said Raymond as he looked down at the smooth path left by the cataclysm. - -“That was an awful moment,” said Sidney, “just before it struck us.” - -“I know I was never so badly scared before. Do you suppose they are -always as thick as they have been to-day?” - -“I don’t think so. I think when there is a storm that the snow drifting -in places is the weight that starts the slide.” - -“Well, I shan’t be easy a minute now,” said Raymond, “till we’re at the -top, and that looks a long way off yet.” - -“I guess we’d better not fool away any time,” said Sidney, “and we’ve -got no trail to start with.” - -The avalanche had descended diagonally across the course of the trail, -and had swept away a long reach of it, leaving only a smooth stretch of -snow, with rocks sticking up here and there. The portion of the trail -that was left intact was visible away up on the mountain, and the boys -started for it, across the expanse of trackless snow. They were obliged -to go very carefully to prevent slipping and sliding down the smooth -incline. Their progress, therefore, seemed to them distressingly -slow, but they plodded on persistently in their great desire to reach -the summit. Both were filled with a dread of being caught in another -avalanche, an encounter that might not result so fortunately as the -first one had done. - -At last the boys reached the unbroken trail across the path of the -avalanche. While the road there had not been disturbed by the slide, -the storms that were increasing with the increase of height had -nearly buried it in snow. Sometimes for many yards it was entirely -obliterated, and there the progress of the travelers was still more -painful and slow. In such places they struggled through the soft snow, -at times sinking to the waist before striking the hard old snow beneath. - -It was only by the utmost care and the closest attention that the boys -were able to keep the course of the trail. Frequently they lost it for -a time, and then had to stop and hunt carefully to find it again. They -were in constant terror lest they drop into some unsuspected gulch, -or slip over the concealed edge of a ravine. It was a heart-breaking -struggle and a slow one, and as they toiled upward the difficulties -increased. - -Snow-squalls continued to sweep down from the summits and along the -slopes, swirling about the laboring boys and blinding them with the -fine particles. At such times they were obliged to stand still and wait -for the fury of the gust to pass. Then they reached the glacier, which, -early in the day, they had seen above them. The trail went up to the -terminal moraine of the glacier and disappeared, but the boys assumed -that it passed over the mass of broken rocks to the ice. So they -climbed over the débris and up to the surface of the glacier, which at -that point was not very high. They proceeded cautiously over the ice, -until suddenly they came to the edge of a crevice. So unexpectedly, -indeed, that Raymond nearly plunged into it, and was only saved by -Sidney, who grasped him and threw him back on the ice. - -“Well,” said Raymond with a long breath, as he rose to his feet; “that -might be as bad as an avalanche.” - -“If you went down into it,” said Sidney, “you would probably not have a -very soft fall. We must have missed the road. I don’t believe it comes -up over a place like this.” - -“No, it can’t. We’ll have to go back and hunt for it. Jiminy! If we -went over that ice-field we’d run across polar bears next time.” - -“I’ve had enough bear for this trip,” declared Sidney, as they turned -back on their tracks. “It’s a shame to lose this time, and we’ve got to -hustle to reach the top before night.” - -“I don’t believe we can do it, Sid; I’m about played out now.” - -“We’ve simply got to do it. Let me carry your blankets for a while, -Ray.” - -“Not much! I’ll carry them myself.” - -The boys, on arriving again at the moraine, after some search found -that the trail turned to the right, but was covered with fresh snow, -which was the cause of their missing it. It followed along the side -of the glacier for a distance, and then over the ridge into a smaller -ravine that was not filled with ice. - -While the next ravine was not the bed of a glacier, it contained very -much more snow. At the height to which the boys had reached by that -time the storms during the day had been more frequent and more severe, -consequently there was a great deal of fresh snow, which made traveling -very much more difficult. - -At first the trail climbed along well up on the left side of the -ravine, and in that exposed position it was not filled uniformly with -soft snow. In places the snow had failed to lodge, or had been swept -away by eddying gusts, and those places came with sufficient frequency -to mark the road for the travelers. - -So, usually, while the boys were floundering through a deep deposit of -fresh snow, they were able to see, ahead of them, the trail where it -passed over the old hard snow of former years. In that way they were -enabled to keep the general direction of the road, though they were -sometimes off it, in deeper snow than ever. At such times when they -left the trail, they frequently plunged down into soft snow that was -above their waists, and were obliged to make a desperate effort to get -back on the hard foundation. - -Such traveling would have been sufficiently difficult if the boys -had been unencumbered, and with the packs they were carrying it was -extremely exhausting. Once or twice, when Raymond stepped off into -loose snow, he was obliged to wait for Sidney’s help before he could -get back. Sometimes, when the boys sank down in that way, they would -loosen their blanket rolls, and throw them up, thus being enabled to -crawl out without help. - -All that occupied much time, besides taking the strength of the -struggling boys, and the sun sank behind the western peaks and they -were still not out of that cañon. Then, too, as they constantly climbed -to higher elevations, and the trail approached the upper end of the -ravine, it was less exposed to the wind and was more evenly covered -with snow. So, finally, the boys labored through deep snow without any -intervals of good road, and could only with difficulty keep the trail -at all. - -For what seemed to the boys hours they toiled on and up, without -conversation, except when one of them briefly requested aid from the -other. All their breath was needed for the work they were doing, with -none left for talk. Sidney was a little taller than his brother, and -in deep snow that gave him great advantage. Then, being older, he was -more solid and more closely knit, consequently he possessed greater -endurance. So it was generally his lot to pull Raymond out of holes. - -When they missed the road and got up on the glacier by mistake, Raymond -had thought he was not equal to much more, but with pure nerve he kept -to the work, and for a long time said nothing more about being tired. -At first the fear of another avalanche had been an incentive to keep -forging ahead. As they ascended, however, and neared the summit of the -range, they gradually rose level with, or above, the overhanging cliffs -from which snow-slides were likely to start, and were relieved of that -fear. - -But there may be a limit to the endurance of even a gritty boy, and -Raymond began to feel that he was really at the end of his rope. The -day had been extremely arduous, and it had been preceded by many days -of hard work, with barely a sufficiency of food. The boy finally -stopped, standing in the deep snow, and gazed up at the summit above -them. - -The snow-squalls had ceased and the clouds had cleared away. The sun, -which was out of sight behind the western peaks, still shone on the -crests, and turned all their white covering to a glorious rosy pink. -That beauty was lost on Raymond, however, for all he could think of was -the distance that remained. It was not far,--indeed, it seemed very -near,--but every step was through deep snow, and all vestige of a trail -had disappeared. - -“Sid!” called Raymond to his brother, who was a few steps ahead, and -his voice hardly carried the short distance. - -Sidney stopped and looked back. - -“I don’t believe I can go any farther, Sid.” - -“But we can’t stop here, Ray.” - -“I know; I suppose if I stop it will be for good. You go on without me, -Sid. You can make it alone, and there is no use in both of us failing.” - -Sidney returned to his brother, and was alarmed by the pallor of the -boy’s face. - -“Give me your blankets, Ray,” he said; “I ought to have taken them -before.” - -“You can’t carry mine and your own too.” - -“Oh, yes, I can, easily.” And Sidney detached the blanket roll from the -shoulder of the unresisting boy. “Now, see, Ray, it’s only a little -bit farther; don’t you think you can get up without anything to carry?” - -“I’ll try; maybe I can.” - -Raymond took one or two struggling, uncertain steps in the deep snow -and stopped again. - -“Here, Ray,” said Sidney, when he saw how exhausted his brother was; -“take hold of the end of this blanket roll and pull just as hard as you -want to. That will help you along.” - -Raymond did as directed, taking hold of the roll which was slung over -Sidney’s shoulder, and again they started. They took two or three steps -when Sidney felt the weight released from his shoulder. He looked back -and saw that Raymond had sunk down in the snow. - -“Ray!” he said, but there was no response. - -He stooped and raised Raymond’s head. The boy’s face was very white and -his eyes were closed. - -“Ray! Ray!” called Sidney beseechingly, but Raymond did not hear, and -when Sidney released his head it dropped forward on his chest. - -Sidney stood up and looked about him in a panic. The setting sun -still illumined the summit that was so short a distance above him. -But everywhere between was deep snow and no trail. If there were only -a trail, Sidney thought, he would take Raymond on his back and carry -him to the top. It would be like a labor of Hercules, but he believed -he could do it. Without a trail, however, and with deep snow to walk -through, such a thing was plainly impossible. - -He looked down on Raymond, who lay in the snow just as he had dropped, -and realized that if he did not do something promptly the fainting boy -would become so cold that nothing could revive him. And yet, what could -he do? They had gone far above the timber-line, and there was not a -shrub or tree in sight, nothing to make a fire for warmth. And there -was, apparently, no refuge from the snow that covered all the rocks, -the snow that was likely to freeze them both. That, then, would be the -end of their desperate attempt to reach home, and their mother, who was -waiting in New York, and their father in a Russian prison, would never -know what had become of them. - - - - -CHAPTER XVII AN ARCTIC CAMP - - -When Sidney looked around and saw only a desolate Arctic waste, with -no haven from the bleak exposure, his strength and courage suddenly -went from him and he sank down in the snow by his brother’s side. The -piercing cold remorselessly bit through his clothes and sucked all his -vitality. But as he crouched in the snow, the relief of repose was so -great that he thought, languidly, he would rest there with Raymond, and -escape the terrific struggle for a time. He was rapidly becoming numbed -by the cold, and was lapsing into a somnolent state that felt neither -inconvenience nor pain. - -Then, with a mental wrench, Sidney’s thoughts reverted to his brother’s -condition, and he remembered that when Raymond fell he had determined -that he must do something immediately to restore him. That thought gave -to his brain the fillip that was necessary to set his mind at work -again, and he struggled to his feet and looked around at Raymond. The -sight of the boy, huddled helplessly in the snow, brought a complete -realization of their peril, and he became once more alert. By stamping -his feet and threshing his arms he restored a tingling circulation, and -began to feel equal to further effort. - -When Sidney examined his surroundings more carefully than he had done -in his first fright, he saw, not far away, a break in a snowy cliff. -What had before appeared to be only a bit of rock exposed through the -snow seemed then to promise a space back of the white mantle. With -careful steps he waded over to the spot, and found, to his joy, that -there was really a shelter ready for them. A shelving cliff projected -a few feet beyond its base, and that projection had prevented the snow -from drifting in quite to the rock at the bottom. There was a space of -bare ground some three or four feet wide, and, what was more important, -there were small shrubs growing all along at the base of the cliff. - -With a renewal of energy Sidney returned to his brother, taking care -to step in the tracks he had made when going to the cliff. By so -doing he packed the snow to some extent and made a semblance of a -trail. Raymond had not stirred, and Sidney thought, with a pang, that -without effective aid he probably never would stir again. He picked the -unconscious boy up, and holding him across one shoulder, retraced his -steps to the cliff. - -Sidney laid his brother down on the bare ground close to the rock wall, -and then, without waiting to revive him, he hurried to collect fuel -before it should become quite dark. Fortunately, while the shrubs at -the base of the cliff appeared small, they had been growing for many -years and there was more dead wood than green. Gathering armfuls of -the small dead branches Sidney built a fire at the edge of the snow in -front of where Raymond lay. - -How grateful was the warmth that was thrown back from the rocks of the -cliff! The ruddy fire, reflected brilliantly from the glistening snow -that covered everything, changed the appearance of cold, which had been -so depressing but a few moments before, to a seeming of cheer and hope. -Even the sight of Raymond, lying so still between the fire and the -cliff, seemed less dreadful. - -As soon as the fire was established, Sidney placed a supply of fuel -within reach, and then turned his attention to Raymond. Opening the -blankets, and spreading the warm Daghestan rug on the ground, he -stretched his brother on that. Then he took off Raymond’s shoes and -stockings, and after briskly chafing his ice-cold feet, wrapped them -in a blanket and chafed his hands and wrists. Alternately rubbing the -boy’s feet and hands, he worked assiduously until a slight degree of -warmth began to be manifest. - -Sidney kept the fire replenished, maintaining a constant brisk though -small blaze. In the restricted quarters the heat was given back from -wall and sloping ceiling until it was almost like a warm room. Sidney’s -own exertions, quite independent of the fire, put his whole body in a -most agreeable glow, but he was becoming fatigued and hungry almost to -the limit of endurance. Finally, as he had used his entire stock of -fuel, he went along the base of the cliff to search for more, first -covering Raymond with the blankets. As he returned with an armful of -sticks he saw that his brother’s eyes were open. - -“Hello, Ray,” he cried cheerily; “how’s this for a camp!” - -Raymond smiled faintly and whispered, “Gee, but I’m tired!” - -“You have a right to be tired,” said Sidney, “and there’s nothing to do -now but rest.” - -“It’s fine to have nothing to do,” said Raymond from his bed. - -“Isn’t it?” responded Sidney, though at the time he was so tired he -could hardly stand. - -“I think now,” he continued, “I’ll sit down and have some supper. Don’t -you want something to eat, Ray?” - -“I’m too tired to eat, and too warm to move, but you go ahead, I’ll eat -something after a while.” - -“I’m glad you’re warm, Ray,” said Sidney as he opened a knapsack and -took out some food, “for you certainly were not an hour ago.” - -Raymond lay quiet, as if thinking, for a moment, then he raised himself -on his elbow. - -“Heck! Sid,” he exclaimed; “did you bring me in here? I remember now I -was out in the snow, and thought I couldn’t go any farther.” - -“Yes, and you were a mighty heavy tug. It was lucky you gave out when -you did, though, Ray, within reach of this fine place.” - -“You certainly are a trump, Sid; you always pull me through.” - -“Well, now you’d better have some supper; I know you’re hungry.” - -“Yes, I am hungry, and seeing you eat makes me hungrier. Jiminy! -Wouldn’t it be swell to have some hot coffee?” - -“It would that,” replied Sidney. “But never mind, we’ll get where -there’s coffee before long.” - -At Bezheeta they had obtained bread and a little cheese, the latter -being a great treat, for they had been some days without any. The bear -steaks had been consumed before they reached the village. They sat on -their blankets back of the little fire and ate the bread and cheese -with great relish. For drink, of which they did not care for much, they -melted fresh snow in the cup. - -As the boys sat munching their supper they looked out on a very -Arctic landscape. They were at the upper end of the ravine they had -been following up, and only a short distance from the summit, with an -outlook that would, in daylight, embrace many miles of the north side -of the range. The sky had cleared after the storms of the day, and a -full moon, just above the crests in the east, flooded with a soft light -the rocky cliffs and ravines that were rounded with their covering of -white. - -The overhanging cliff which formed the boys’ shelter was draped from -its upper edge with frozen snow, which even hung down in front and gave -the appearance of an ice grotto. The only relief from the prevailing -white radiance was afforded by the bare rock of the cliff at the back. -Even that was picked out in ruddy lights reflected from the fire. - -That fire was the saving feature of the whole scene. Outside, the -prospect was one of Arctic desolation, but inside, the impression given -by the cheerful blaze was one of comfort and warmth. - -The boys soon imbibed the cheer of their immediate surroundings, -and were promptly fortified by their supper. Both of them had been -exhausted as much by hunger as by hard work. Not until they were lying -at their ease by the fire, and felt the rest that is given by food, -did they realize that they had eaten nothing since they left Bezheeta -in the morning. The cold and bleakness of the road had not invited -lunches. The wonder was that they had not given out before they did. - -“Wasn’t the trail covered up entirely before we stopped, Sid?” asked -Raymond after they had finished their supper and lay in the warmth. - -“Yes, there wasn’t a foot of it left.” - -“Do you think we can get up to the top without any road?” - -“Oh, I think so. It isn’t far, and it will look mighty near in the -morning.” - -“But the snow is pretty deep,” said Raymond, “and we’ll have to do some -tall wading. And suppose we drop into a hidden gulch?” - -“I think,” said Sidney, “that if we can get up to the ridge back of -this cliff we can follow that up and the snow won’t be so deep. - -“Well, I don’t want to be a croaker, Sid, but what shall we do if we -can’t find the road down the other side?” - -“I think when we get to the top that we’ll find there is no snow on -the other side, or maybe just a little near the summit. It’s too early -in the season for the snow to go very far down the south side of the -range.” - -“I hadn’t thought of that,” said Raymond. “That will be fine; I’m tired -of snow.” - -“We’ll make quick time,” said Sidney, “down the south side. As I -remember the map it’s a very short slope, compared with this side.” - -“Gee!” said Raymond, “I’ll be glad of that. I want to get where I can -eat a square meal and have all the coffee I want. We haven’t had a -smell of coffee since we left Petrovsk.” - -“I hope, when we reach Tiflis,” said Sidney, “that we can send a cable -to mother. I don’t know whether everything around the Black Sea will be -all war or not.” - -“There’s one sure thing,” said Raymond; “Russia can’t send any troops -over these mountains.” - -“Not by this trail, I guess,” said Sidney with a laugh, “but she can -send them up through the Dariel Pass. You know they told us at Petrovsk -that troops were going north that way then.” - -“That was ages ago,” said Raymond. “The war may have been ended long -before now.” - -“It does seem a long time.” And Sidney sighed wearily as he thought of -the work back of them. “I hope the war is over. I wish we knew.” - -The weather, after the skies cleared, had turned cold very rapidly, and -the night that followed was very frosty, but the boys, in what they -called their house, were snug as could be. The cliff served not only as -a wall, but as a roof, and with the fire in the “doorway,” they were -well protected. To be sure, the fire did not burn all night, but they -kept it up until they were ready to crawl between their blankets. Then -they doubled up their beds and slept close together, and though the -night was the coldest in all their camping experience, they did not -suffer. - -In the morning it was a short task to build a brisk fire with the stock -of dry sticks they had left overnight. Indeed, the fire was more -cheerful than the breakfast, for with a temperature that must have been -hovering near the zero mark, a cold, dry meal was not very satisfying. -Raymond sighed again for hot coffee, and declared that if he ever took -such a journey again he would carry a coffee-pot, whatever else he left -behind. - -The boys really felt very little effect from the terrible exposure and -fatigue of the previous day. A night’s warm rest, and food that was -sufficient in quantity, however unpalatable in quality, had restored -them completely. They started out, therefore, with renewed courage, -and, as Sidney had predicted, the summit in the morning light seemed -very near, as though it were not more than a few hundred yards away. - -The boys first sought a place where they might climb to the top of the -cliff back of their camp, and having gained that, found they were on -a ridge that led directly to the summit. Even then, however, it was -not an easy climb. The snow, while not so deep as it had been in the -ravine, was still too deep for good traveling. The more recently fallen -snow had been packed just enough to make it resist a little when they -stepped on it, and yet not enough to allow it to support their weight. -That made very heavy walking. - -Over that yielding surface the boys plodded slowly but steadily, and -with good cheer. The air was still and the sun shone clear and warm. -It was a day very different from the previous one of storms. When they -stepped into a depression and were buried to the waist, they did not -mind it, but laughed and struggled out. - -In that way, slowly but surely, they won toward the summit. As they -neared the goal their impatience increased until they were ploughing -through the snow with breathless haste, panting and puffing with -the effort. Then, finally, they stood on the topmost point, and -simultaneously their caps flew into the air, and they gave three -rousing cheers and a tiger. - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII FROM MIDWINTER TO MIDSUMMER - - -For two or three weeks Sidney and Raymond had had their gaze and -their hopes fixed on the summit of the Caucasus, a soaring line that -neared them, oh, so slowly! They had toiled up, up, with alternating -courage and despondency. At times the tremendous chasms which they had -been obliged to cross had given them the disagreeable impression that -they were climbing for the sole purpose of descending again. Always, -however, when at the end of a couple of days they took definite note of -results, they found there had been an appreciable increase of elevation -added to their credit. - -Sometimes they looked back and down on the vicinity of a previous camp -with such a feeling of height gained that they were elated. And again a -day passed with hardly any perceptible accomplishment. When, therefore, -they finally actually stood on the summit, their delight was boundless. -They shouted and jumped and capered on the lonely crest as though they -had taken leave of their senses. One would have supposed that their -journey was finished and all the hard work was done. To the casual -observer, though, there would have seemed to be still something left. - -The boys were standing on old, hardened snow that had undoubtedly -been in place for many years, and that was pierced only occasionally -by rocks so gray as to be hardly distinguishable from the dingy snow -itself. - -Back of them, by the route on which they had come through Daghestan, -the immediate slopes were densely covered with snow, but beyond, only -the high elevations were clothed in their first white robe of early -fall. The prospect that way was Arctic and forbidding. - -In front of them, how different! At their feet,--more than two miles -of perpendicular descent below them,--lay the great valley of Georgia. -It was crossed and marked by scores of thread-like, glistening lines, -the streams and canals that carried water over its fields and meadows. -All was glowing and smiling in the tints of summer, where even autumn, -much less winter, had not yet approached. - -In the checkerboard of cultivated country there were squares of dark, -rich green that indicated orange groves, and other divisions of ashy -green that proclaimed orchards of olive trees. It was a glorious and -beautiful scene, and was like a fairy transformation after the barren -ranges and desolate slopes of Daghestan. - -Beyond that brilliant valley, as though to remind the beholder that all -to the south was not soft and warm, towered the snow-capped mountains -of Armenia. In the west, across a jumble of mountains that rose at the -upper end of the Georgian valley, the boys saw a hazy line which they -were sure must be the Black Sea, and their hearts throbbed faster as -they looked. - -The travelers were viewing the wonderful panorama from a height of -fully twelve thousand feet, and only in the western portions of the -range were points that were higher. To the east the range dropped much -lower, and when the boys turned that way they saw, off on the dim -horizon, a level line that was, without doubt, the Caspian. - -“Gee! Sid,” exclaimed Raymond as they gazed in wonder, “I thought I had -been on mountains before, but this beats everything.” - -“And such a difference!--the dead of winter on one side, and the middle -of summer on the other.” - -“No wonder we were cold back there,” said Raymond, as he looked over -the snowy wastes through which they had passed. “But, jiminy, won’t I -be glad to get down on that side!” And he turned with longing to the -warmth and beauty of the south. - -“It will be a short job to get down,” said Sidney; “it’s almost a -straight drop.” - -“How about the trail?” suggested Raymond; “there certainly is none in -sight here.” - -When the boys looked down on the slope immediately below them they saw, -what they had not before observed, in their enthusiasm over the view, -that the snow did not descend more than half a mile on that side. The -trail across the summit was entirely obliterated, at least, the boys -could find none; and for a short distance down the south side also, -none appeared. A little farther down, however, the snow was melted -along the line of the trail, leaving it plainly visible, while on -either side the ground was covered thick. Beyond the snow, also, the -road could occasionally be seen where an angle of it came out on some -ridge. - -“You see, Ray,” said Sidney, “it’s not far to a good trail at any rate. -We can go down that ridge, and we’ll soon be out of the deep snow.” - -“Yes, and then we’ll be in slush.” - -“Well, that won’t last long, either. And I’d rather have a little slush -than much of such work as we had this morning.” - -“Heck! Sid,” said Raymond, “I hope that country down there will be like -western Texas in the winter, with no rain.” - -“Remember,” said Sidney, “that western Texas sometimes has northers, -and they’re worse than rain.” - -“I’ll guarantee there’ll be no northers down there,” declared Raymond. -“It would take a pretty vigorous norther to get over these mountains.” - -“Well, once we’re down, we shan’t wait for one; we’ll hike right on -to Tiflis and the railroad. It seems as though we ought almost to see -Tiflis from here.” - -“I’ll bet we could if we had glasses. Gee! wouldn’t it be swell to have -a pair of prism binoculars? We could see everything from the Black Sea -to the Caspian, and the other way to Nizhni.” - -“They would be good ones.” And Sidney laughed. “But we don’t want to -take it all out in looking. It must be about noon; suppose we eat a -lunch and then start down.” - -“No more lunches in the snow for me,” declared Raymond. “I’ll take my -next lunch on _terra firma_.” - -“All right,” assented Sidney; “then we’d better get a move on.” - -Without stopping to hunt any longer for a trail over the top, the boys -started down a ridge that appeared to intersect the road below. At -first the snow was deep, and the traveling was bad, but the sun was -warm and the air was still, and soon, as Raymond had predicted, they -were in slush. That did not last long, but it was followed by a zone of -mud. That, too, was soon past, and by the time the travelers reached -the road, they were walking on dry ground. - -With exclamations of delight the boys threw themselves down in the warm -sun, and stretching out at full length, ate a dry lunch with utmost -relish. As soon as that was concluded they took the road again, with a -desire to reach a level that would give a decidedly warmer climate for -their next camp. - -The trail went down the tremendous mountain wall by a series of -switchbacks. There would be a long zigzag, consisting of twelve or -fifteen sharp angles, back and forth down a steep face of rock; then -the trail would run off to one side across the heads of half a dozen -gullies that were transformed below into deep and precipitous ravines; -or perhaps it would descend for a distance at a less acute angle down -the backbone of a long ridge. - -Nearly all the time, as the travelers descended, they were enraptured -with a view of the magnificent panorama that was spread out before -them. With all their experience of mountain travel they had never -before seen anything to equal it. If they had ever crossed the Alps in -early spring from Switzerland to Italy, they would have been supplied -with a comparison, though the prospect before them was much grander -and more extended than that afforded by the journey down the Alps. - -“I suppose,” said Sidney, as they were trotting down a zigzag with -nothing to obstruct the view, “that those high mountains in the -distance must be in Asia.” - -“Wouldn’t it be swell, Sid, to have topographic maps of this country! -Do you think they have anything like our Geological Survey maps?” - -“That’s not likely, in a wild country like this.” - -“But we have maps of wild mountains.” - -“Yes, but that’s in the United States.” - -“Where I wish we were, this minute,” declared Raymond fervently. - -“I believe we’ve done our hardest work,” said Sidney, “so don’t get -blue. Won’t it be fine, though, to get aboard a train at Tiflis!” - -“The finest will be a steamer on the Black Sea, and then home; think of -that, Sid!” - -“I hope Turkey is not mixed up in the war. I have a sort of an idea -that she controls the Black Sea, and unless she has joined Russia and -England we may have trouble in getting out.” - -“What should we do, then?” asked Raymond. - -“I don’t know, but I’m sure Americans would be allowed through if -anybody would.” - -By night the boys had descended so far that the air was soft and warm, -and they did not need to seek a spot that was sheltered from cold -winds. They chose a level place and spread their blankets in the open, -with only the blue sky overhead. It was very different from their -camp of the previous night, and, indeed, as they lay on the ground -looking up at the twinkling stars, it did not seem possible that such a -transformation could be reality and not a dream. - -The boys, however, did not take much time for star-gazing, and the -aching of their muscles all over their bodies assured them that what -they had gone through was no dream. Their prodigious exertions of the -previous days culminated in overwhelming fatigue, and they had hardly -more than lain down when sleep made them oblivious of everything. - -Sidney and Raymond had camped out so much, and so rarely with anything -more than blankets to place between them and the earth, that they -could sleep on any spot, however hard. If their bed were free from -loose rocks they asked nothing more. Sleep, such as they had that -night, is a great restorer, and in the morning the boys felt equal to -anything that might be ahead of them. - -The travelers observed no habitations on the south slope of the range, -and in fact the descent was so short and so precipitous that it would -have been impossible for any one to make a home there. Even the -hardy tribes who had established villages in the almost inaccessible -mountains of Daghestan would not have had the temerity to attempt a -colony on the opposite slope of the Caucasus. - -By noon of the next day, however, the boys had reached the upper margin -of the beautiful valley of the Alazan: a valley where the dwellers -conducted water wherever they pleased, and that was made luxuriant by -the stimulus of irrigation under a warm sun. There the languid air of -a semi-tropic early autumn was laden with the fragrance of ripening -grapes. A luscious late crop of figs hung heavy on their stems, and -pomegranates had burst their rinds to show the crimson kernels within. - -In groves of glossy dark orange trees golden globes gleamed amidst the -rich foliage, and the ashy green of the olives was set thick with the -black of ripened fruit. All was luxurious warmth, abundance, and peace, -and seemed to the boys, after the rugged, sterile mountains over which -they had toiled, to be a veritable Happy Valley. - -The travelers found the people whom they encountered to be very -different from the stern inhabitants of the rugged mountains of -Daghestan. Indeed, such a type would have been impossible in the -languorous air of the Southern valley. The Georgians appeared a mild, -gentle folk, and much more fair of face than their neighbors across the -mountain barrier. - -It was easy to make the owners of the gardens and groves understand -that a purchase of fruit was desired, and a delicious variety was -heaped before the boys in return for the silver coin which Sidney -tendered. And how they did feast! Only one who has been entirely -without fruit and vegetables for many days could understand what -that abundance meant to the boys. Besides, the semi-tropical fruits -reminded them of their own Southwestern home, and created a longing of -homesickness that was painful in its intensity. - -As it was easy to obtain food, so also there was an open hospitality -that made the tramp of two or three days across to Tiflis an enjoyment -rather than a task. Possibly the people were not more hospitable than -those of Daghestan, and it may be that the soft air and beautiful -surroundings lent to them a seeming of suave courtesy. At any rate, -the boys thoroughly enjoyed that part of their journey, and it was the -first time that they had felt real enjoyment. - -While the valleys were filled with luxuriant growth, fostered by the -streams that were conducted in canals over their surface, the mountains -were more forbidding, and that condition, also, reminded the boys of -their own Southwest. They found Tiflis situated where the Kura River -emerged from between high bare mountains. - -There ended the long tramp of hundreds of miles, and the boys paused -and looked back at the sky-line of white that marked the crest of the -great Caucasus Range over which they had climbed. As they looked, and -their minds ran back over the way by which they had come, the distance -to the Caspian, where they had left the steamer, seemed infinity. - -“I guess it’s a good thing we didn’t know what was ahead of us when we -left Nizhni, Sid,” said Raymond as they gazed. - -“If we had known I don’t believe I should have been willing to tackle -it. But it would have been easy if we could have come by wagon through -the Dariel Pass, as we planned.” - -At Tiflis the boys saw evidence of war preparations again, in companies -of soldiers that were passing in the streets. They proceeded directly -to the railway station, where they tried, without success, to obtain -news of the war. The railway agent replied “Yes” to every question they -asked, but that was not very enlightening, as their questions were -varied. So they purchased second-class tickets to Batum, and took the -first train that arrived. - - - - -CHAPTER XIX GOOD-BYE TO RUSSIA - - -The train which the boys boarded was a very slow one, with, apparently, -a maximum speed of about fifteen miles an hour; nevertheless it seemed -heavenly to them to have a mode of locomotion other than that supplied -by their own legs. Then, too, they were alone in the compartment, and -hoped they would continue to be alone all night. They judged it was -quite likely that they would be, for they observed that nearly all -the passengers on the train went third class. Raymond declared that -that was where they belonged also, for with the exposure and hardships -of their long journey their clothes had become very disreputable in -appearance. - -Sidney had expected to try to send a cable from Tiflis to their mother -in New York, but the station agent had exhibited such density regarding -the English language that he decided to wait until they reached Batum. -He believed that in a seaport they would almost certainly find some -one who could speak English and who would be willing to help them, even -if the official of the telegraph office could not be made to understand. - -It was fortunate that they did not wait in Tiflis, for when they -arrived at Batum they learned that the train they were on was the first -one in several days that had been allowed to carry the general public. -It was not known either how long it would be before it was followed by -another. - -Nearly all the trains were being used by the Government to transport -troops that were being massed at the various Black Sea ports it was -supposed in anticipation of the opening of hostilities with Turkey. -That country, the boys learned, still remained neutral, though her -purchase from Germany of two cruisers that had fled for shelter within -the Dardanelles had already nearly precipitated trouble with Russia. - -Sidney and Raymond found their blankets quite as necessary in a Russian -railway coach as on a Russian mountain. While the air of the coach was -not so cold as that of the mountain, the surface on which they had -to lie was even harder than the surface of the Caucasus. With their -blankets and their cloaks and their soft Daghestan rug, however, they -made very comfortable beds on the long seats which extended in their -compartment across the coach. And with their acquired ability to sleep -wherever they might make their beds, they were ignorant of everything -that occurred all night, not being aroused by any of the jolting of -stopping and starting. - -In early morning the train approached the coast of the Black Sea at -Poti, several hours before its arrival at Batum. From that point the -railway ran near the shore and the boys found much of interest and -amusement in watching the varied scenes of the waterfront. Upon the -arrival of the train at Batum the boys made their way at once to the -docks, and, with their rolls of blankets slung over their shoulders, -they felt quite as they imagined emigrants must feel. - -There was much freight on the docks, great stacks of lumber and bales -of hides waiting to be shipped, but there were very few boats tied up -there. The first ship which they came to was a small steamer where -there were a couple of sailors talking in a language that sounded -strangely familiar to the boys, and yet which did not seem, after all, -to be one with which they were acquainted. They stopped and listened -and were more puzzled than ever. Some words sounded like Spanish spoken -with a strong foreign accent, but the next words would be entirely -strange to them. - -“What in creation are they talking, Sid?” asked Raymond. “Is it Spanish -they are trying to get at?” - -“It’s mighty curious Spanish, if it is,” replied Sidney. “I tell you -what, Ray,” he continued, after a moment of thought, “it must be -Italian. I think that sounds a good deal like Spanish. I believe I can -talk with them.” - -Sidney then asked one of the men in Spanish where they were going, and -the man replied promptly in his own tongue that they were going to -Rome, a reply of which the boys gathered the meaning very clearly. - -“Gee, Sid,” exclaimed Raymond, “that’s swell! You talk Spanish and he -talks Italian, and you both understand. Try him again.” - -The next attempt, however, was not so successful, possibly because -Sidney embodied too much in his question. He asked the sailor when they -were going to leave, and if he thought their captain would take some -passengers. The man looked puzzled for a moment, and then replied in a -statement that sounded very long and intricate to the unlearned ears -of the boys. While they were considering and trying to select words at -whose meaning they might guess, a voice spoke behind them in perfectly -plain English. - -“Where do you young gentlemen want to go?” - -The boys wheeled and saw a stocky, middle-aged man. He wore side -whiskers, and there was something decidedly English in his appearance. - -“We don’t care much where we go,” said Sidney, “so long as it is west. -We want to get back to New York, but I don’t suppose we’ll find a ship -here for that port.” - -“No, you will not, but perhaps I can help you out. I am Captain Foster, -of the Princess Mary, and I clear in the morning for Venice.” - -“Oh, captain,” cried Sidney eagerly, “can you take us?” - -“Well, I don’t carry passengers; I have no place for ’em; but I’d -do anything I could to help Americans to get home. I fancy you are -Americans?” - -“Yes, we are,” replied Sidney, “and our mother is waiting in New York -for us.” - -Captain Foster looked at the boys curiously. “If I may be so bold,” he -said, “you are pretty young to be in a country like this alone, and you -look as though you had traveled some.” - -“I should say we had traveled some,” broke in Raymond, “we came over -the Caucasus.” - -“By the Dariel Pass, in a motor-car, I fancy,” said the captain. - -“Not much! We hoofed it, by way of Bezheeta to Tiflis.” - -“Do you mean to tell me that you came over that trail on foot at this -time of year?” And the captain looked at the boys in amazement. - -“We sure did,” replied Raymond, “every step of the way. Don’t those -shoes look like it?” - -And Raymond held up a foot on which the shoe was barely holding -together. - -“You see,” said Sidney in explanation, “we came down the Volga from -Nizhni to Petrovsk, and then across from there. We started out with -horses, but an army officer took them away from us the first day.” - -“Yes, I expect so,” said the captain; “no man outside of the army can -travel horseback in Russia now.” - -“We haven’t heard a thing about the war,” said Sidney, “since we left -the boat. How is it going?” - -“Well, nobody knows yet. It’s a bad war.” And the captain looked very -grave. “I’d be helping, but I’m too old. And it begins to look pretty -nasty with Turkey; that’s why I’m clearing in the morning. But weren’t -you with a party?” - -“We went with our father to Nizhni to see the Fair,” replied Sidney, -“and father was arrested as a German spy just because he speaks German. -We were afraid if we waited we shouldn’t be able to leave Russia at -all, so my brother and I came south, expecting to go through the Dariel -Pass. But at Petrovsk we were told that troops were thick in the pass, -and were advised not to go that way. So we came over by the trail, and -it was a tough tramp.” - -“Didn’t your father have a passport?” - -“Yes, he had a passport from the Secretary of State at Washington.” - -“I’m sure he got out all right, then,” said the captain. “Americans can -go anywhere in the belligerent countries, if they can only prove they -_are_ Americans. But how did you young men get away without a passport?” - -“The clerk of the hotel, who spoke English, took my father’s passport -down and showed it to the purser of the boat. And the chief of police -at Petrovsk gave us a sort of a passport, but it’s in Russian.” And -Sidney took the paper from his pocket and handed it to the captain. - -“I fancy I can read it if it is in Russian,” said Captain Foster, as -he took the paper and glanced over its contents. “I think that’ll get -you out all right. I’ll take it to the American Consul and have it -viséed, and then to the chief of police for his O.K. Now, if you young -gentlemen want to make any purchases,”--and the captain looked the boys -over with amusement in his eye,--“you can do it while I’m getting this -fixed up.” - -“I wish we could buy new suits,” said Sidney, “and shoes; in fact, new -outfits right through, for both of us.” - -“You come with me then,” said the captain, “and I’ll show you a good -shop. We must have everything ready to-day, for I shall get off in the -morning before daylight.” - -Captain Foster conducted the boys to a clothing shop that was kept by -an Armenian Jew who spoke English. Before allowing the boys to enter, -the captain detained them for final instructions. - -“This man has a very good stock of clothes,” he said. “After you have -selected what you want and got his price for everything, offer him -exactly half what he asks. If he objects, pretend you’re going to leave -and he’ll come to time fast enough. When you get through, wait for me -here, and I’ll take you to the ship.” - -The boys entered the shop, and informed the merchant what they wished. -They found, as Captain Foster had said, that the shop contained an -excellent stock of clothing, and they soon made their selections of a -complete wardrobe for each of them. Then Sidney asked the merchant how -much it all amounted to. - -“As the gentlemen can see,” said the man, rubbing his hands together -and smirking, “the clothing is most excellent quality.” - -“Yes,” said Sidney, “the clothes are all right. How much are they?” - -“I am sure,” said the merchant, “the young gentlemen are well pleased.” - -“Of course, or we shouldn’t take the things. Now, tell me how much -everything is, we’re in a hurry.” - -The man regarded his customers shrewdly for a moment, and then said,-- - -“The gentlemen may have all of this clothing, all of the most excellent -garments which they have selected, for the small sum of one hundred ten -rubles.” - -“I’ll give you just fifty-five rubles for everything we’ve picked out,” -said Sidney. - -The man threw up his hands in supplication, and raised his eyes in -horror. - -“Would your lordship rob a poor defenseless man?” he asked, most humbly. - -“My lordship doesn’t intend to rob anybody,” said Sidney, while Raymond -snickered. “But if you don’t want to sell the things, all right. Come -on, Ray.” - -The man interposed hastily. “Business is so bad with the cruel war, -that I am willing to take much less than the clothing is worth. But -fifty-five rubles!” And he raised his hands in protest. - -“All right,” said Sidney, “we’ll go somewhere else.” And he started -toward the door. - -“If the gentleman insists,” interposed the merchant again in a tone of -agony, “he shall have the excellent clothing at his own price, though I -lose half the value of the goods.” - -“Very well,” said Sidney; “now show us a place where we can put the -things on.” - -“Do you want to change your clothes here, Sid?” objected Raymond. - -“Yes; we’d better do the whole thing up now.” - -Thereupon the merchant conducted the boys to a room at the rear of -the shop where he apparently lived. When the boys were alone Sidney -explained to his brother. - -“You see, Ray, my money is all under my clothes, and I didn’t want to -take it out and let that fellow know how much we’ve got. Besides, we -may as well leave all these old rags here, they’re good for nothing. -I was ashamed to jew him down that way, but I guess we paid all the -things were worth, or he wouldn’t have let them go.” - -When the boys had changed their clothes they returned to the shop, -and Sidney informed the merchant that he might have their old clothes -which they had left lying in the other room. That seemed to satisfy the -man, who was looking as though the boys had literally robbed him of -everything he possessed. In a few minutes Captain Foster returned. - -“Everything is all right,” he announced, as they walked toward the -docks, “and when I told your consul, Mr. Davis, what you boys had done, -he said that if you needed money to get home with to call on him. I -told him you wouldn’t need any money as far as I went.” - -“That’s fine of both of you,” said Sidney, “but I think we have enough -money to pay our way home. I took your advice about paying for the -clothes, so they didn’t cost us much, but I felt pretty cheap to beat -the man down.” - -“You needn’t feel cheap,” said the captain; “if you paid half what he -asked, you paid enough. You don’t look like the same young men.” And he -regarded the boys with satisfaction. - -“I’m glad we look better,” said Sidney, “and we’ll feel better after -we’ve had a good scrub.” - -“You can have a tub,” said the captain, “as soon as we get to the -Princess Mary.” - -“There is one other matter,” said Sidney. “I would like to send a -cable to our mother in New York. We couldn’t make the man at Tiflis -understand, and she must be awfully anxious about us.” - -“I doubt if you can do that,” replied Captain Foster. “I don’t believe -the Government will allow a message to be sent to a foreign country, -but I’ll go around to the telegraph office with you and we’ll find out. -You see, when there’s trouble, I don’t have to wire any owners, for I -own the Princess Mary myself, so I don’t know whether the wires can be -used now or not.” - -“What sort of a cargo do you carry, Captain Foster?” asked Sidney, as -they walked along. - -“I load with crude oil for Venice.” - -“Isn’t that an awfully messy cargo?” asked Raymond. - -The captain laughed. “Oh, no; you wouldn’t know what I had aboard. -There are tanks built into the ship, and the oil is pumped into them, -and pumped out.” - -By that time they had arrived at the telegraph office and the -captain interviewed the man in charge, who spoke no English. After -a short conversation the captain turned to the boys, and announced, -regretfully,-- - -“He says you can’t send any message of any kind out of the country.” - -“Poor mother, she will be sick with anxiety.” And Sidney’s eyes looked -suspiciously moist. “She didn’t want us to come, Captain Foster. We had -a bad time last winter getting away from the war in Mexico, and mother -was sure something would happen to us this time, too. But that was -before the war over here began.” - -“Well, you know the old saying, ‘No news is good news.’” - -“I’m afraid that mother wouldn’t agree to that. But I guess there’s -nothing we can do.” - -“I fancy you can send a cable from Venice,” said the captain; “you know -Italy is neutral, like the United States.” - -“I do hope we can.” And Sidney looked somewhat relieved. - -They were two rather dejected boys, however, who turned back to the -docks with Captain Foster. It was very hard to be obliged to give up -all present thought of communicating with their mother. It seemed -ages since they said good-bye to her in New York. The anticipation of -sending a message had been so pleasant, and when that hope was suddenly -dashed, their loneliness and homesickness were greater than ever. - -When they arrived at the docks the boys saw a small, dingy steamer, -that ordinarily would have appeared anything but attractive, but to the -boys then she seemed finer than a big Atlantic liner. They were taken -on board, and were shown to a tiny cubby-hole of a cabin that adjoined -the captain’s own stateroom. - -“This is not much of a cabin,”--and the captain looked about -apologetically,--“but, you see, the Princess Mary was not intended to -carry passengers.” - -“Oh, I think it’s fine,” protested Sidney; and Raymond declared,-- - -“It’s perfectly swell! You may have the lower berth, Sid, and I’ll take -the upper one.” - -When the boys had thrown their blankets into the berths, the captain -said,-- - -“Now, you come into my cabin; I’ve got a tub there, and I’ll have the -cook bring you some hot water, and you can scrub as long as you want -to.” - -“It’s good of you, Captain Foster,” said Sidney, “to let us use your -bath.” - -“Well, you see, the Princess Mary is not very modern, though she’s -as stanch a little craft as was ever built, and she hasn’t got any -bathrooms. Now you young gentlemen take your time, and come up on deck -when you’re through. I shan’t come down till I see you out there.” - -Captain Foster’s bath was a funny little short tub that the bather -could just sit down in. The boys did not try even to sit down, but -stood up, one at a time. There was plenty of water, however, and soap, -and the scrubbing that followed was very thorough, and resulted in two -well-renovated boys. - - - - -CHAPTER XX A GREAT DISASTER - - -It had seemed to Sidney and Raymond that they had attained to the -height of ease when they boarded the train at Tiflis after their -tremendous tramp and were transported without effort on their part. But -when the Princess Mary drew away from the pier at Batum and started -westward across the Black Sea, the travelers felt that they were then -enjoying sublimated luxury. - -The great sea lay rippling gently under a peaceful autumn sky, and the -little steamer drove steadily ahead on a level keel. It was as though -they were navigating a small lake. Captain Foster’s cargo consisted -wholly of oil, so that he put in at no ports, but made a straight run -from Batum to Venice. - -As the Princess Mary used oil for fuel, her crew was made up chiefly of -engineers. There were only four sailors, one of whom was the captain’s -first officer, and a cook. The mate, Mr. Wright, sat at the captain’s -table, so with the boys there was a nice little party of four. - -Captain Foster had a great fund of stories gathered during a sea life -of forty years, and he remembered and was willing to relate them all. -And as the voyage was very uneventful, the captain’s time was largely -unoccupied, and he employed much of it in story-telling. So the boys -had not a dull moment. - -After two days of such sailing the Princess Mary entered the Bosporus. -It had been Captain Foster’s custom to stop at Constantinople, but -there had lately been so many rumors that Turkey was about to join -Germany in the war that he decided to make no stop on that voyage. The -ship, therefore, was headed to pass directly through, and the boys -thought that they would see the interesting foreign sights only from a -distance. There was the great city of Constantinople on one side, and -the beautiful heights of Scutari on the other, both of which places -they would have loved to visit. Then, as they were passing the entrance -to the harbor of the Golden Horn, a launch flying the Turkish flag -signaled them to stop. - -In obedience to the summons Captain Foster lay to, and they were -boarded by a Turkish officer who demanded their clearance papers. After -he had examined the papers he went below with Captain Foster to inspect -the cargo. - -Sidney and Raymond waited on deck in great anxiety. They could not face -with equanimity the possibility of being detained at Constantinople. -The narrow straits into which they had entered seemed to them like the -door through which they would pass for home, and to have that door -close and shut them out was too dreadful to contemplate. - -“Sid,” said Raymond, as they waited in suspense for the return on deck -of the Turkish officer, “if we are stopped here I shall escape in some -way and swim across to the other side. If Byron could do that with his -club feet I am sure I can.” - -“But Byron, you know, swam across the other strait, not this one, and -that’s probably narrower.” - -“I don’t believe it’s any narrower than it is here; why, this is no -width at all.” - -“Well, if you got across you would still be in Turkey.” - -“Yes, but it would be in the country, and not in a big city.” - -“It would be in the country if you could land outside of Scutari, but -that looks like a pretty big place from here.” And Sidney gazed across -at the heights on the other side which were covered with buildings. - -“I don’t care what there is over there,” declared Raymond; “there’s one -thing sure, I’m not going to stay in Constantinople.” - -“I don’t believe they’ll stop us,” said Sidney; “they’ll be careful how -they stop Americans. But we’ll soon know, for here comes that Turk.” - -The officer approached and looked at the boys, not unkindly. - -“Where are you boys started for?” he asked in excellent English. - -“We are going back to New York,” replied Sidney. - -“Do you live in New York?” - -“No; we live in Texas.” - -“Texas; that’s a big State. Let’s see your passport.” - -Sidney presented that paper to the officer, who read it hastily. - -“H--m,” he said, “that’s a curious passport, but I think it will do. -We don’t want to stop boys, anyway.” Then turning to Captain Foster, -“Your papers are all right, captain.” And he added significantly, as he -went down the side, “I think there is going to be a storm; don’t let it -catch you in the Straits, or you might be wrecked.” - -As soon as the Turkish officer had left the ship, Captain Foster sprang -to the signal-button for the engine-room and rang full speed ahead. The -Princess Mary’s screws churned the water furiously, and she was soon -throwing the spray back from her bows. But the captain did not appear -to be satisfied; he told the man at the wheel to keep her well in the -middle of the stream, and rang for greater speed. In obedience to his -demands dense black smoke poured from the funnel, and the little vessel -ploughed through the water faster than the boys had supposed could be -possible. - -“You see the Princess Mary is good for something, if she is old,” said -Captain Foster proudly as he returned to the boys. - -“She can’t go too fast to suit me, captain,” said Sidney, watching with -pleasure the shores as they glided past. - -“Nor me either,” said the captain. “That officer is an old friend of -mine, and he meant for me to sit up and take notice when he gave me -that warning.” - -“About the storm?” asked Raymond. “I wondered what he meant. It doesn’t -look now as though it would ever storm.” - -“He meant something worse than a windstorm,” said the captain. “But if -I can have until to-morrow morning, they may do what they please.” - -“Do you think Turkey is going into the war?” asked Sidney. - -“I think that’s what they’re getting ready for,” replied the captain. - -“Which side will they join?” - -“Well, it won’t be England; I’m sure of that. They would just love to -kick up a fuss in Egypt.” - -Captain Foster kept close watch of the Princess Mary’s speed, and did -not allow the engines to subside in the least. So long as they were -threading the narrow Strait of the Bosporus, the boys were kept fully -occupied in watching the various interesting sights on either side, and -the numerous shipping which they met. - -After a time, however, the ship drew out into the Sea of Marmora, and -then there was less of interest to be seen. The captain, too, appeared -distrait, and was not so good company as he had been while they were -traversing the Black Sea. So the boys felt rather dull, and when night -came they went to bed early. - -In the morning when the boys looked out of their porthole of a window, -they thought the ship must be still in the Sea of Marmora, for there -was only water to be seen on either side. - -“I wish this old tub could go faster,” said Raymond grumblingly. “We’ll -never get to Venice at this rate.” - -“She seems to be making good speed,” said Sidney, as he watched the -water surge past the side of the boat. “I don’t understand why we -aren’t farther along; perhaps they were obliged to lie to for some -reason in the night.” - -The boys dressed rapidly and went out to hunt Captain Foster, whom they -found pacing the deck and looking very happy. - -“Good-morning, captain,” called out the boys; and Sidney added,-- - -“When shall we reach the Dardanelles?” - -“Why, bless you,” replied the captain, beaming on the boys, “we passed -the Straits last night, and we’re well out in the Ægean now. What did -you think the Princess Mary had been doing? The old girl is making -twenty-two knots.” - -“Jiminy, that’s fine!” exclaimed Raymond; “then I suppose we’ll round -Cape Matapan to-morrow.” - -“Oh, we’re not going to run away down there. We’ll go through the -Corinth Canal; that will cut off a whole day.” - -“Shall we stop at Athens?” asked Raymond eagerly. - -“No, we’ll make no stops, but we’ll be off Piræus this evening. I -shan’t feel really comfortable till we’re tied up at Venice.” - -“Well,” said Sidney, “that Turkish storm didn’t materialize.” - -“I don’t know whether it did or not,” replied the captain; “but if it -did we were beyond it.” - -The Princess Mary was too small and unimportant a craft to carry a -wireless, and since passing the Dardanelles they had met no vessel -within speaking distance. Captain Foster, therefore, had had no -opportunity to learn what his friend, the Turkish officer, had meant by -the warning he had given. He was, consequently, feeling rather anxious -to know if he had passed the danger, whatever it was. - -The day wore on uneventfully, and the boys amused themselves as best -they might. They went back and forth from the deck, where there was -nothing of especial interest, to the engine-room, where there was a -good deal. They were left entirely to their own devices, for Captain -Foster watched the horizon constantly. He knew there was a possibility -that they might meet an Austrian cruiser, and in that case he wished to -take advantage of whatever chance there might be to escape. - -Early in the afternoon the captain called the boys’ attention to the -island of Skyros, which showed off on their right, and he told them -that before long they would see the mainland of Greece. While they were -examining the horizon Raymond thought he saw a tiny line of smoke dead -ahead. He called Captain Foster’s attention to it, and the captain -brought his binoculars to bear on the spot. - -“It’s not a cruiser,” he announced immediately; “it’s a tramp steamer. -Do you want to look at her?” And he passed the glasses over to the boys. - -“How can you tell that’s not a cruiser?” asked Raymond. “I can’t see -anything but a little speck.” - -“Well, she’s only got one funnel, for one thing, and she’s too small -for another. She doesn’t look like any liner, either. I can’t explain -to you exactly how I can tell; I simply _know_, that’s all.” - -As the approaching ship was coming directly toward them, she grew -large rapidly. While she was still too small, however, for the boys to -distinguish anything about her, even with the glasses, Captain Foster -examined her again. He looked intently through the glasses for a few -moments, and then declared,-- - -“It’s the Black Duke, Captain Johnson, from London to Smyrna.” - -“Gee! captain,” exclaimed Raymond; “you must have second sight. How do -you know what ship that is at this distance?” - -“I know her as well as I know the Princess Mary.” - -“I couldn’t tell the Princess Mary as far off as that,” declared -Raymond. - -“Well, I could. When she comes up I’ll speak her and we’ll get the -news.” - -The two ships rapidly drew together, and laid their courses to pass -about one hundred yards apart. When the Black Duke, for such the ship -was in fact, was still some three or four hundred yards distant, -Captain Foster took the trumpet and shouted,-- - -“Ahoy! Black Duke.” - -“Ahoy! Princess Mary,” came the answer. - -“What news of the war?” - -“Turkey closed the Dardanelles this morning.” - -“Gee!” exclaimed Raymond, “that was a close shave.” - -The vessels were now rapidly separating, but Captain Foster launched -one more question. - -“Is the Adriatic safe?” - -“English and French cruisers there, Austrian coast is mined,” was -shouted back from the distance. - -Captain Foster lowered the trumpet and regarded the departing ship -thoughtfully. - -“Well,” he said finally, “we escaped that storm, thanks to my Turkish -friend. Now if those mines are stationary, we’ll get through, but -floating mines I’m afraid of.” - -“Do you think Austria would put out floating mines, captain?” asked -Sidney. - -“Germany has sowed the North Sea with floating mines, and Austria may -have done the same thing in the Adriatic. But there is no way we can -locate them, so we’ll just have to go straight ahead, and take what -comes.” - -Having obtained what information he desired, Captain Foster determined -to crowd the ship forward at top speed. With Turkey apparently about to -join the hostilities and probably on the side of Germany, the quicker -they were out of the Ægean the better. While passing through Grecian -waters they would be perfectly safe, and in the Adriatic the presence -of English and French cruisers would be a great protection, though they -would not insure absolute security. The most serious aspect of the -whole matter was presented by the mines in the Adriatic. There was no -possibility, however, of evading, or minimizing, that danger. - -In early evening the Princess Mary entered the Gulf of Ægina, and -Captain Foster laid his course directly for the Corinth Canal. Before -they arrived at that cut, however, night had closed down. The boys -remained on deck to get what impression they might of the country, -but after the ship had traversed the canal, and entered the Gulf of -Corinth, nothing whatever could be distinguished on either side. When -the boys woke rather late the next morning the Princess Mary was -passing between the island of Corfu and the mainland. - -“What a measly shame!” exclaimed Raymond, when he learned where they -were; “here we’ve gone right through the middle of Greece, and we -haven’t been able to see one foot of it.” - -“Well,” said Sidney, “if we could be set down in New York now, I’d give -up all chance of seeing any more foreign countries this trip.” - -All that day and all night the Princess Mary steamed steadily -northward. At daylight on the following day the ship was far up the -Adriatic, opposite the coast of Austria. When the boys went up on deck -they found Captain Foster standing in the bow gazing intently out over -the water. - -“I know I’m silly,” he said when the boys approached, “but I feel like -watching every minute for mines, though if they were thick all around -us, I shouldn’t know it unless the Princess Mary struck one.” - -“It seems to me,” said Sidney, “that mining the sea is a barbarous way -to make war.” - -“Yes; but making war any way you please is all of a piece.” - -“Do you think there is really much danger, captain, that we shall -strike a mine?” asked Raymond. “It would seem like being pricked by a -needle in a haystack.” - -“I don’t know how great the danger is,” replied the captain, “but -a good many ships have struck mines and been sunk in the North -Sea. I have been thinking that you boys ought to know where the -life-preservers are, in case anything does happen. I don’t think there -are any in your room, but there are some in the main cabin, underneath -the couch. You see the Princess Mary never carries passengers, and we -haven’t paid much attention to life-preservers. You’d better get out -a couple and bring them up on deck, then you can get into them in a -jiffy.” - -“Aren’t you going to get one for yourself, captain?” asked Raymond. - -“No, I think not. If I had one ready I’d be afraid it would have to be -used, and if I don’t get it maybe I shan’t need it. But you boys get -them; that will be all right.” - -The boys hunted out the life-preservers and took two of them up on -deck, placing them by the side of the companionway, where they would be -easy to grasp in case of necessity. Then the cook announced breakfast -and they went down to the cabin with Captain Foster. - -They seated themselves at the table and were seasoning their coffee, -when, without warning, the bow of the ship was thrown upward with a -terrific shock, accompanied by a muffled roar. The floor of the cabin -inclined at a high angle, sloping down toward the stem. For a moment -the Princess Mary hung in that terrifying position, while Captain -Foster and the boys clung to the table, from which all the dishes had -been thrown to the floor. Then the ship settled, not only into place -again, but farther than she should, so that the floor inclined the -other way. - -“Get on deck and into your life-preservers, boys,” said Captain Foster -quietly, though with a very pale face; “she won’t last five minutes.” - - - - -CHAPTER XXI CASTAWAYS - - -Sidney and Raymond rushed up the companionway to the deck and began to -buckle on the life-preservers, which were still lying where they had -been placed. Captain Foster had preceded the boys and was directing the -lowering of a boat, but the tackle had jammed, and the boat hung in the -air from the davits. - -All the small force of men gathered on deck, including the engineers -on duty, whom the captain had summoned through the speaking tube. It -had been barely a minute since the explosion, but the Princess Mary -was rapidly settling forward. Three or four of the men still struggled -with the boat, which obstinately refused to descend to the water, while -others were cutting the lashings of a life-raft on deck. But the bows -of the ship were already awash, and some of the oil tanks must have -burst and let their contents out, for the stern rose high in air. - -“Let everything go,” ordered Captain Foster, when he saw the desperate -condition of the vessel, “and jump, as far out from the ship as you -can.” - -“Are you ready, Ray?” And Sidney’s voice shook a little. “Let’s keep -together if we can.” - -There was no time, however, for any one to jump. With not even a quiver -the Princess Mary dove head first into the deep. The waters sucked down -after her with a strong pull, and then met with a surge overhead. - -When Sidney realized that they would have no chance to leap for safety, -he tried to grasp his brother, but the suddenly tilting deck threw him -against the side of the companionway, where he seized the edge of the -opening, and held fast with desperate energy. - -For a moment he had a wild idea that only by maintaining his hold of -the ship could he be saved, and he clung tenaciously to the casing. -The water surged about him as he was dragged through it with terrific -force. By closing his mouth tightly he kept himself from strangling, -but the suction and the pressure were stupefying. - -Then it flashed into his mind that he was being dragged to certain -death, instead of being saved. Instantly he let go. The speed of the -descending vessel had decreased somewhat with the depth reached, but -the relief of pressure, which had become agonizing, was heavenly. - -For a few moments after Sidney relinquished his hold he hung wavering -in the wake of the plunging ship, which was still followed by the -eddying currents of water. Then the buoyancy of his body, together with -that of the life-preserver, shot him upward. Instinctively, too, he -aided that upward movement by his own effort, the well-directed effort -of a practiced swimmer. - -Fortunately there was no wreckage floating at the spot where he reached -the surface, and what a blessed thing it was to breathe the air again! -The time he was being dragged down with the ship had been measured by -seconds, but it was quite long enough, when he was once more in the -free air, to make him feel that he had been restored to life. - -Sidney’s presence of mind in keeping his mouth closed had prevented -the water from entering his lungs, so that he was able at once to -look around to see who else might be near him. His first thought was -of Raymond. Looking out over the water that was still agitated by the -sinking ship, at first there was nothing evident but confusion, for the -surface was thickly sprinkled with wreckage. There was every article -that had been loose on the ship’s deck, to which were added many pieces -of splintered and shattered planking that had been torn from the -vessel’s bottom by the explosion. - -Sidney supported himself by treading water, and raising himself high, -gazed about him. He saw here and there amidst the flotsam the head of -a man who was clinging to some piece of wood. Presently, away on the -other side of the circle of waste he saw his brother. - -“O--h, Ray!” he called. - -Raymond, also, was intently examining the surface of the water, and -immediately he distinguished Sidney. - -“I’ll swim over there, Ray,” called Sidney when he saw that he was -observed. - -There was no wind, and the waves and swells caused by the destruction -and the sinking of the Princess Mary were beginning to subside. So it -was not difficult for Sidney to swim, though he was retarded somewhat -by the cork jacket that was buckled around him. - -He had proceeded but a few strokes when he noticed, a little to one -side, the form of a man lying against a piece of plank, and he changed -his course to examine it. The man’s face was in the water, and Sidney, -turning it up, was shocked to find it was Captain Foster. There was a -bloody bruise extending across his forehead, and he was unconscious, -but Sidney thought he still lived. - -“Oh, Ray,” Sidney called, “Captain Foster is hurt; come and help me.” - -The other men who were floating in the wreckage heard the call, and -all hastened to the aid of their captain. There were the mate, a -sailor, and two engineers, all who were left of the ship’s company. Mr. -Wright was the first to reach them, and after examining Captain Foster -briefly, he declared,-- - -“He’s only stunned, sir, but we must get him out of the water, or he’ll -be chilled. You men,” he continued, turning to the others, while he -supported himself by a piece of plank, “get together all the good -pieces of timber you can find, and we’ll make a raft. I saw a coil of -rope just over there, and maybe you’ll find some more.” - -The men, assisted by Sidney and Raymond, swam through the floating -débris, and collected all the pieces of wood that were large enough to -use. They also found several long pieces of rope. It was slow work, -and tedious, but fortunately all were good swimmers. As fast as they -brought the pieces in, pushing them before them to where Mr. Wright was -waiting with Captain Foster, the mate arranged them in some sort of -order. He tied fragments of about the same length and width together, -and then placed those couples consecutively and bound them with the -long ropes. There were two heavy hatch covers, each of which would -easily support a man, and that addition expedited the work greatly. - -Finally the lumber was all collected and bound together. While not all -of it was yet assembled in the raft, enough of it was put together to -support several men. So the mate, who was anxious to get the captain -out of the water, climbed up on it and directed the men from there. - -“Jack,” he said to the sailor, “you and Watson,” indicating one of the -engineers, “bring the captain here and we’ll lift him up.” - -The mate had supported Captain Foster in the water by placing his arms -over a plank and securing them there with a bit of rope. The two men -unbound the lashing, and placing themselves one on each side of the -injured man, who was still unconscious, they floated him across the few -intervening yards of space to the raft. - -“Now, let me get hold under his shoulders,” said Mr. Wright, “and you -men take hold of the raft with one hand and lift on the captain with -the other.” - -In a few moments Captain Foster was lying stretched out on the raft, -and the mate turned to Sidney and Raymond. - -“If you young gentlemen,” he said, “will climb up here and chafe the -captain’s hands, I’ll help the men and we’ll soon have the raft done. -Take off his shoes, too, and rub his feet till they’re warm and dry. He -must have been thrown against a timber when the ship plunged down, and -was unconscious when he struck the water. So there’ll be no water in -his lungs, and all you’ll have to do will be to get him warm. I wish we -had some brandy to give him, but we haven’t even got water.” - -“No,” said Sidney, who had climbed up and was kneeling by the captain’s -side, “and Captain Foster didn’t have any breakfast this morning, and I -think he was so worried last night that he didn’t eat much dinner, so -he won’t be in good shape to get his strength back.” - -“Did you young gentlemen have any breakfast?” - -“No, we didn’t have any either. The explosion came just as we sat down -to the table.” - -“That’s bad; we men ate a good meal. Well, we may not be kept here -long.” - -When Mr. Wright and his men had bound together all of the lumber -which had been collected, they had a commodious, serviceable raft. It -consisted of a double tier of heavy timbers all through, and rode high -in the water, even when it carried all seven of the party. - -The boys had worked faithfully over Captain Foster, but he still had -not recovered consciousness, though his body had become much warmer. -The sky was clear, and a bright sun had done quite as much as the boys’ -vigorous rubbing to bring about that condition. Mr. Wright examined -the unconscious man more carefully than he had done at first, and was -quite sure that the skull had not been injured by the blow which he had -received. - -“I don’t believe there is anything more we can do,” said the mate, “but -I think he will come to himself before long. We’d better all take off -our clothes and dry them in the sun. I ought to have taken off some of -the captain’s clothes; he would have warmed up quicker; I believe I’ll -do it now.” - -He began to remove Captain Foster’s jacket, and as he stooped over him -to release an arm the captain opened his eyes. - -“How many of the men were saved?” he asked. - -“Three,” replied the mate. - -“Who were they?” - -“Jack, Watson, and Smith.” - -“Thank God!” said the captain fervently; “they are three of the men -with families. And the passengers?” - -“Both of them,” replied the mate. - -“I’m glad of that. What are we on?” - -“We built a raft,” said the mate, “from the wreckage.” - -“You’re a capable man, Mr. Wright,” said the captain. “My head feels -pretty level now. I fancy I can sit up.” And he proceeded to do so. - -Sidney and Raymond and the three men gathered around the captain and -expressed their delight at his recovery. - -“Gee! captain,” exclaimed Raymond, “we’re glad to hear you talking.” - -“And I’m glad to see you, my boy,” said the captain. “This is pretty -hard luck for you boys, just as you thought you were getting out.” - -“Don’t think about us, captain,” said Sidney; “it’s you and your crew -who have met with hard luck.” - -“Well,” said the captain, “we have to take it as a part of the day’s -work.” - -“I hated awfully,” said Raymond, “to lose that fine rug that we packed -over the mountains for our mother, and my revolver, too.” - -“You won’t need your revolver again,” said Captain Foster, “but if -we’re taken by the Austrians the rug might have come in handy. I only -hope that we’ll not be picked up by an Austrian boat.” - -“What would they do with us?” asked Raymond. - -“You boys would probably not be held, but the rest of us would be sent -to a detention camp. They would never let Englishmen get back home.” - -“And not be released until the war is over?” - -“I fancy not.” - -“Gee!” said Raymond, “that would be tough. Why, the war may last a -month or two yet.” - -“Yes,” said Captain Foster, “or a year or two.” - -“Captain,” asked Raymond, “do you remember when the ship went down?” - -“No, I do not,” replied Captain Foster. “When she made her first -plunge, I was thrown against the rail, and that was the last I knew.” - -“I remember everything I did,” said Raymond, “but I didn’t go down very -far till I began to come up again.” - -“The suction from a small boat like the Princess Mary is not very -great,” said the captain, “but if it had been a big liner, you wouldn’t -have come up, that is, not alive.” - -“Then why didn’t the other men reach the surface too?” asked Sidney. - -“Because they probably became entangled in some way and were held -down,” replied the captain. “Poor fellows! the sea is relentless, as -only those know who follow it.” - -The outer clothing of the castaways, which they had removed, was become -quite dry in the sun, and they felt more cheerful. But while they were -glad of the warm sun at first, they soon saw the possibility of its -becoming too warm for comfort. Besides, the warmer they became the more -their minds turned to the thought of water, of which there was none. - -The injury to Captain Foster’s head was wholly superficial, but it gave -him a very sanguinary appearance, for it could not be cleansed, and -there was no possible bandage for it except salt-soaked handkerchiefs. -The captain, however, soon felt quite like himself again, for, as he -said, he was altogether too tough to be permanently knocked out by -anything so trivial as a little blow on the head. - -He noticed that what little breeze there was came from the east, and -that fleecy clouds were gathering in that quarter, indicating the -approach of a storm. He called the mate’s attention to that, and said -he felt uneasy about their condition if there should be a storm. - -“I believe, Mr. Wright,” the captain finally suggested, “that we can -rig up a sail to help us toward the coast of Italy.” - -“We don’t seem to have much to make a sail of, sir.” - -“We could use our coats if we had any way to fasten them together.” - -“There’s a coil of ratline-stuff, sir, that we fished out of the water, -and that I thought was too small to trust in making the raft.” - -“That’s just the thing, Mr. Wright. Make holes along the edges of the -coats and tie them together with bits of the cord. Then pull out the -two longest sticks you can find in the top of the raft. Hoist those -sticks a little ways apart, jam the ends down between the timbers, and -spread the sail between them.” - -All went to work with a will, the boys tying the coats together, and -the men getting out the sticks for masts and setting them in position. -Soon there was a curious patchwork quilt of a sail raised, but one -that offered a large surface to the breeze. Raymond stationed himself -at the edge of the raft, and trailing his hand in the water for a log, -announced gleefully,-- - -“We’re making two knots.” - - - - -CHAPTER XXII A RESCUE - - -While Raymond had declared jokingly that they were making two knots, it -was probably a fact that they were not going so fast as that. The raft, -however, with its broad sail before an increasing breeze, was moving -through the water at a rate that was perceptible, and that, to their -joy, was taking them toward a safe, neutral country. - -A few thin gray clouds were coming in from the east, but the sun was -still warm and invited to ease and comfort. So the various members of -the little party stretched themselves out as best they might. There was -nothing, however, to mitigate the hardness of the surface on which they -lay, except their own will to endure it. - -“After all,” said Raymond, “this beats some of the beds we had in the -Caucasus.” - -“That must have been a tough tramp for you boys,” said Captain Foster. - -“It was,” replied Sidney, “and if we had known just how hard it would -be, I think we should not have attempted it.” - -“Well,” said Raymond, “we were never blown up at any rate. I hope the -raft won’t strike another mine; it would be our finish if it did.” - -“That is not likely,” said the captain. “It is strange that even one -mine should have floated out so far from the Austrian coast.” - -As the day advanced, the wind increased and the raft ceased to be a -stable vehicle. It pitched and rolled altogether too much for comfort. -The occupants of the raft, too, became very thirsty, and Captain Foster -and the boys, who had missed their breakfast, added the pangs of hunger -to the misery of thirst. - -Hunger and thirst, however painful, might be borne, but the endurance -of the raft in a gale was an undetermined problem. It was a problem, -though, that promised to press for solution, for the wind continued to -increase, and the clouds rolled up dark and darker from the east. The -raft plunged heavily and sullenly through the rising sea. - -Finally, Captain Foster ordered the sail down, and the coats restored, -each to its owner. It was high time that the coats were made to perform -their proper office again, for the wind had become very cold, and the -spray constantly drenched the occupants of the raft. The sail, too, -must soon have been torn away if it had not been taken down. - -Soon after noon the wind had risen to a gale, and instead of lying -stretched in a warm sun on a placid sea, the shipwrecked party were -huddled together under a cold and lowering sky. They crouched in -silence, for no one felt like talking. - -When the raft made an especially violent plunge and nearly stood on -edge, they all clutched each other, and by their very bulk maintained -their position. At one such time, however, Sidney failed to grasp the -man who was next him, and slid to the edge. He only saved himself there -by seizing hold of a stick which protruded a little above the level of -the raft. - -[Illustration: SIDNEY SLID TO THE EDGE] - -The boy was so nearly paralyzed by fright that when the raft settled to -a level again, he could not get back to the center until he was pulled -in by one of the men. - -“It won’t do to take such chances as that,” said Captain Foster. -“Mr. Wright, knot together the pieces of rope that we used in the sail. -Then tie one end to one edge of the raft, bring it across the center -and tie to the other side. We’ll all take hold of that, and we shan’t -be washed off.” - -The mate found there was enough rope to extend across the raft and pass -back again, making it double. He also fastened the middle to the raft, -and had a secure anchor. - -“Now, boys,” said Captain Foster, “grasp the line, and don’t let go for -an instant.” - -Sidney’s narrow escape was all the warning that was necessary to make -the boys, even Raymond, obey implicitly. The men did not need any -warning for caution, for their experience of the ocean was sufficient -to show them their danger. So all the members of the party gripped the -rope with the tenacity of fear. - -The supporting rope had not been provided any too soon, for the gale -increased in intensity. Indeed the strength of the unfortunates who -clung to the rope was sometimes taxed to the utmost to enable them to -maintain their hold. Without that support they would certainly have -been washed away. - -The raft would sometimes be dashed up on the crest of a great wave -with such force that it seemed in imminent danger of being thrown over -backward. Then it would be hurled down into the trough of the sea, and -be threatened with destruction by the waves that reared on either side. - -As the wind increased, too, the clouds became more dense, and began to -discharge dashes of biting rain. The rain itself did not make so much -difference, however, for the shipwrecked people were already as wet, -from the drenching spray, as they could be. But with the rain came -bitter cold, and that was heart-breaking. - -It had been difficult enough for the castaways to keep hold of the -rope with the pitching and rolling of the raft. That difficulty was -increased many fold by the cold that numbed their hands and sapped -their strength. Even the sailors, with the hardihood acquired during -years of hardships, found the situation a difficult one. And the -boys, despite their severe schooling in endurance, found it nearly -insupportable. - -Raymond’s hands became absolutely devoid of feeling, and his whole -body was almost without sensation. His grasp on the rope held more -because his fingers were stiffening in their clutch than because of any -volition on his part. He hung, almost insensible, from the rope. - -Finally, Captain Foster noticed the boy’s condition, and cast about -for a way to help him. He thought he might hold Raymond, himself, with -one arm, but he hardly dared trust the weight of both of them to the -insecure support of one hand. If there were only a line to tie him fast! - -“Mr. Wright,” he said to the mate, “we must do something for the boy, -or he will be washed away. Is there any line left?” - -“No, sir,” replied the mate. “Yes, I think there is, too,” he added. -“When I lashed the center of the line down to the raft, there was a -long end which I left hanging. It’s right by the boys.” - -When the members of the party had ranged themselves along the rope -anchor, Sidney and Raymond were placed in the center as the most secure -position. - -“Then I wish you’d work your way in there, Mr. Wright, and tie that -boy to the line,” said the captain. - -“Aye, that I will, sir,” replied Wright. - -The mate, who was near one end, climbed cautiously past the other man -until he reached Raymond. Then he knotted the long loose end of line -around the boy’s body under his arms in such a way that it could not -draw tight, and yet so securely that Raymond could not be washed off. -When that was done, he found there was still rope left, and he said to -Sidney,-- - -“Shall I lash you too, sir? It will be safer.” - -“I wish you would,” replied Sidney. “I may be able to hold on, but I am -not sure. Thank God, my brother is safe.” - -It was not long after that when Raymond’s hands lost their grip and he -hung, an inert weight, from the rope. Then, after the raft was free of -a towering wave that had broken over it, Smith’s place was vacant. When -Captain Foster discovered their loss, he besought the men who were left -to have courage. - -“Don’t lose heart,” he said to them. “Watson, remember your family, -and, Jack, that old mother of yours. I think we must be in the route -from Fiume to Ancona, and there may be some traffic yet between Austria -and Italy, so I fancy we stand a good chance of being picked up.” - -“I shall hang on, sir,” replied Watson, “as long as any one. My missus -can’t support the children alone.” - -As the man finished speaking, the raft mounted the crest of a huge -swell, and the mate and Jack sang out simultaneously,-- - -“Ship ahoy!” - -There was barely time to see a steamer that was bearing down upon them -not far away, when the raft plunged into the trough again. With the -next rise, however, there was a good view of a long steamer with four -funnels, that lay low in the water, coming up against the wind. - -“It’s a destroyer,” said Captain Foster, “probably an Austrian. Well, -better an Austrian than none at all.” - -The castaways were observed, and the warship, after passing close to -one side, hove to so as to bring the raft under her lee. There she -hung, with her engines working only enough to hold against the wind, -while she lowered a boat. - -The shipwrecked men watched anxiously while the boat fought its way -toward them. It was thrown from crest to trough, then back again, and -tossed about until it seemed impossible that it could live. There was -no trouble about its being able to advance, for the wind swept it -resistlessly along. The greatest danger was that it would strike the -raft and both be wrecked. - -When the boat was opposite the raft its crew attempted to bring it up -to the wind. As they came around and the gale struck them broadside on, -it seemed as though their destruction was certain. For a few moments -the boat was hidden beneath the piling seas, and Captain Foster and his -men held their breath in terrible suspense. - -Then the boat emerged, but the wind had driven it past its destination. -Slowly the boat’s crew battled their way back against the gale. When -they were once more opposite, they drew the boat up on the windward -side, and let it down as carefully as possible against the raft. - -The protection which the warship offered in breaking the force of the -wind was considerable, but even then the two craft pounded together in -a most alarming manner. - -The mate cut the cord that held Sidney, and he and Captain Foster -helped the boy to the side. Sidney had not been, like his brother, -rendered entirely helpless by the cold, and the prospect of rescue had -greatly restored his strength. So by watching until the boat and the -raft, in their violent oscillations, were brought to nearly the same -level, he was able to spring into the boat, where he was caught by its -crew and placed in safety. - -Then Captain Foster and the mate turned to Raymond. He was unconscious, -and they were obliged to carry him, which was extremely difficult. They -left the cord attached to the boy, and threw the end to the boat’s -crew, who held it as a safeguard against disaster. By lifting and -pulling, Raymond was transferred safely to the boat. - -When that had been accomplished it was comparatively easy for the -sailors to follow the boys, and the boat started back to the ship. That -was a long pull and a hard one, but the nearer they approached under -the lee of the ship the less difficult it became, and the shipwrecked -party were finally safe on board. - -Captain Foster and the boys were conducted to the cabin of one of the -officers, where Raymond received the attention of the ship’s surgeon. -And the mate and his men were taken forward. Warmth and food were all -that Raymond needed to restore him completely, and the others responded -to the same treatment. - -Captain Foster learned that the ship which had rescued them was the -Salzburg, an Austrian torpedo boat destroyer, which was doing patrol -duty from Pola as a base. Presently they were visited by the lieutenant -in command, a courteous young man who spoke English perfectly. - -“What ship are you from?” he asked Captain Foster. - -“The Princess Mary, freighter, from Batum to Venice,” was the reply. - -“Were you wrecked in the storm?” - -“No, we struck a mine early this morning.” - -“And these young men?” - -“They are Americans who were returning home from Russia, and I was -helping them out.” - -“Well, captain,” said the lieutenant, “I shall be obliged to detain -you and your men. I will turn you over to the commandant at Pola. But -I will see that these young Americans are sent on by rail. If you have -money to get to Genoa,” he continued, turning to Sidney, “you will find -ships that will take you to England, and from there you can easily get -home.” - -“I think we have money enough for that,” replied Sidney, “and we shall -never forget what you have done for us.” - -“I have done only my duty,” replied the officer as he turned away. - -“It distresses me, Captain Foster,” said Sidney when they were alone, -“to leave you a prisoner.” - -“That you can’t help, my friend,” replied the captain, “and it is a -chance that we took with our eyes open.” - -“Can’t we take a letter for you to your family?” asked Sidney. - -“I shan’t give you a letter; that would only get you into trouble; but -when you reach London, I’ll be grateful if you will go to see my wife, -at No. 18, Southampton Row, Russell Square. You can tell her just what -has happened to me, and where you left me, and that will be a great -comfort to her.” - -“I will do that, certainly,” said Sidney. - -The boys had no further opportunity for conversation with Captain -Foster, for men came to take them to a separate room. And in the -morning they had only a glimpse of their benefactor before they were -put aboard a train at Pola for the Italian frontier, where they would -transfer to another train for Genoa. - -“Gee! Sid,” said Raymond, when they were speeding along in the train, -“this beats tramping over the Caucasus.” - -“It sure does,” replied Sidney, “and I guess we’ve done our last -tramping this trip.” - -“It really looks now,” said Raymond, “as though we were going to see -mother, after all. When we were on that raft I thought we never should -again.” - -“And I hope we’ll find father with her in New York,” said Sidney. - -THE END - - * * * * * - -The Riverside Press - -CAMBRIDGE. MASSACHUSETTS - -U. S. A - - * * * * * - -Transcriber’s Notes: - -Illustrations have been moved to paragraph breaks near where they are -mentioned. - -Punctuation has been made consistent. - -Variations in spelling and hyphenation were retained as they appear in -the original publication, except that obvious typographical errors have -been corrected. - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Two American Boys in the War Zone, by -Levi Worthington Green - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TWO AMERICAN BOYS IN THE WAR ZONE *** - -***** This file should be named 62747-0.txt or 62747-0.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/6/2/7/4/62747/ - -Produced by Demian Katz, Craig Kirkwood, and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net -(Images courtesy of the Digital Library@Villanova University -(http://digital.library.villanova.edu/)) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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