CHAPTER XX.
CRUELTY BECOMES UNBEARABLE.
"That's enough. I'll save the extra lashes until he is in a condition tofeel them. Take him back to his dungeon."
It was General Surgoff who spoke. He looked down upon the prostrate formof Jack, who, shirt again stripped from his shoulders, had fallenbeneath the terrible blows of the lash in his second whipping.
It was at the tenth blow that Jack had fallen forward on his face,unable to bear the pain any longer. General Surgoff decided that it wasuseless to waste blows on an unconscious enemy, so he had called uponhis men to hold their hands. However, he had no intention of lettingJack off, and in his memory he made a note of the fact that there wereadditional blows coming to the lad.
The two men dropped their whips. One took Jack by the head and the otherby the feet and they carried him back to his dungeon. There they lefthim, after first thrusting a pan of water and a small piece of breadinto the cell.
Jack was brought back to himself by something cool upon his head. Hestirred a bit and when at last he was able to sit up he became awarethat his head was supported on a man's knee, while his temple was beingbathed with cold water.
"How do you feel now?" demanded a voice, which Jack immediatelyrecognized as that of the big Russian who had been with him on the firstday he had been confined to the dungeon.
"Pretty weak," said Jack feebly. "I don't think I can undergo anothersuch ordeal."
"A man never knows how much he can stand until put to the test," saidthe Russian, with a shrug of his shoulders that was imperceptible toJack in the darkness.
"But how do you come to be back in here?" demanded Jack. "You were nothere last night."
"No," said Boris. "But this morning, just after you had been so severelypunished, I could keep quiet no longer and expressed myself to GeneralSurgoff."
"With what result?" asked Jack.
Again the Russian shrugged, but Jack failed to see the gesture.
"The lash," he replied quietly. "Fifteen lashes; then the dungeonagain."
Jack now got to his feet, though with some difficulty, and leaned on theRussian's arm.
"It's no use," he said, after pacing up and down the dark cell for somemoments. "A person is a fool to stay here and put up with this sort ofthing. Better death in the snow. To-morrow, when I am again led forthfor my lashing, I shall make a break for liberty."
"It is impossible," said Boris. "You would be shot down before you hadgone a dozen yards."
"That's where you are wrong," said Jack. "To General Surgoff, I am toovaluable to be killed offhand. He would keep me alive until he is tiredof seeing me suffer. After that, perhaps, he would order me shot; butuntil then no. If I can get anything like a start, perhaps I can reachone of the sleighs that always stand nearby. Then I can make a dash forliberty."
"By the Czar!" exclaimed Boris; "and perhaps after all you can reach thesleigh safely. I have a mind to go with you."
"You are the more likely to be shot down," said Jack. "The general, Ifear, would have no scruples in ordering your death."
"Nevertheless," said Boris grimly, "with your permission I shall try it.Besides, if we do get away, two would be more handy than one."
"True," said Jack. "Now if we only had weapons."
"There may be a rifle or two left in the sleigh," said Boris hopefully.
"There may be," said Jack, "but we can't bank on that. There may notbe."
"Then we shall have to go without weapons," said Boris finally.
Jack was deep in thought.
"I'm still weak from my beatings," he said at last, "but, if I amfortunate, I shall secure weapons for both of us. Not rifles, perhaps,but revolvers at least."
"How?" demanded Boris excitedly.
Jack smiled to himself in the darkness.
"I don't know exactly," he replied quietly, "though I have half an idea.Now we shall have to map out our plan of action."
"I'll let you do that," said Boris. "I am not much of a hand to figure;but when it comes to a fight you can count on me."
"You look as though you could give a good account of yourself," saidJack.
In the darkness he stretched forth his hand and felt Boris overcarefully. The muscles swelled beneath the lad's touch and Jack knewthat the Russian was indeed a powerful man.
"I'm no weakling," said the Russian modestly, "but for the matter ofthat neither are you. I have taken note of your build and I have thoughtto myself that, between us, we would be a hard pair to overcome."
Boris now extended a hand and felt the lad's arms and chest carefully.When he withdrew his hand he gave a grunt of satisfaction.
"You'll do," he said quietly. "Now as to your plan."
"Well," said Jack, "I have a half-formed plan. It will depend upon youto some extent what our chances of success are."
"You can count on me to the finish," said the Russian gravely.
"All right. Then what we shall do is this. When I am led forward toreceive my lashing, you create a diversion of some kind. Give a yell orsomething, but make no dash toward the row of sleighs at that moment. Itwould prove fatal, for you would be shot down. However, make enoughnoise to attract attention your way. At that moment I'll jump thegeneral and seize his revolvers--he most likely will be caught off hisguard. Then I'll dash for the sleighs; and as soon as you see I have thegeneral's weapons, you do the same. Whoever reaches there first willtake the reins and be ready to whip up the horses the moment the otherjumps in. That's all there is to the plan."
"It's not half bad," said the Russian, "and it promises a certain degreeof success. So you are going to steal the general's revolvers, eh? Ilike that. And if he interferes with you, shoot him."
"Not if I can help it," said Jack. "I intend to come back here some dayand attend to him with my hands."
"Ah, but he is too big for you there," protested Boris.
"Don't you believe it," said Jack dryly. "Take his guns away from himand give me fair play, and I'll promise I'll whip him good andproperly."
"Perhaps," said the Russian, but he was plainly unconvinced. "But were Ito make a wager, I would be forced to put my money on the general."
"I hope there will be no occasion for you to lose your money," saidJack, smiling.
"By the way," said the Russian after a pause, "how are your injuries? Ican't see in the darkness, but I have no doubt the lash has left itsmark."
"It has indeed," said Jack in reply. "My shoulders are bruised andbleeding. There are several welts across my face, and my legs and armsare very painful. But they feel better, now that I know I shall notstand still and receive more blows of the same kind."
"Well, you have put your mark on the general, anyhow," said Boris, histone greatly pleased.
"So I have; but I have paid dearly for it," responded Jack.
It was Boris who finally put an end to the conversation.
"Take my advice," he said, "and get what rest you can to-day andto-night. To-morrow is near and there is no telling when you will sleepagain. It is always well when a man has rested before he undertakes adesperate venture. He is in better condition."
"Your advice is good; I shall heed it," said Jack.
He lay down again in his corner and soon was asleep.
All day and all that night the two prisoners rested in the dungeon aswell as they were able. It was impossible to sleep all the time, butthey did no walking about; and when morning came they felt well and fit.
Each gulped down the water and bread that was thrust through the bars tothem early in the morning; and each was on edge when the guard unlockedthe heavy door and called upon them to emerge from their prison.
Boris stepped out as lively as a kitten, but Jack, to whom the workahead seemed to be more serious, walked quietly, with head bent.Apparently taking the lad's attitude for one of fear, the Russian guardsneered audibly.
Boris caught the sound and looked up sharply. He opened his mouth tomake a remark to
the guard, but Jack, perceiving that Boris was about tocause trouble, raised a warning finger. Boris' mouth closed withoutsaying a word, although Jack could see that he choked back the words atthe tip of his tongue with an effort.
The lad smiled to himself.
"He'll be a pretty good partner," he muttered.
They followed the guard until they again stood in the presence ofGeneral Surgoff. The latter eyed them evilly as they approached, andmotioned for Jack to step forward. The lad did so unhesitatingly. Boriswould have followed, but the guards shoved him back among the crowd ofother prisoners.
Jack looked quickly around as he stepped toward the Russian general.Some distance away, perhaps two hundred yards, he made out severalsleighs, all ready to be put in use.
"If there were only one," he muttered; and he determined in that momentto try and frighten the other horses as he leaped into one sled.
He faced the Russian commander.
"And how do you feel this morning?" asked the general.
"Not very well, thank you, sir," returned Jack quietly.
"Feel like another little whipping will do you good, eh? Well, you shallhave it."
"I just want to remark to you, general," said Jack quietly, "that youwill rue the day you first laid the lash on me."
"What! You threaten me?" exclaimed General Surgoff. "You shall have anadditional ten lashes this morning, whether you stand on your feet orfall fainting to the ground. Strip him, men."
The pair of Russians with their lashes stepped forward and would havelaid hands on Jack; but Boris now decided that it was time for him toact.
He set up a sudden wild yell, that drew all eyes in his direction. Itwas the moment for which Jack has been waiting.