CHAPTER XXIV.
A SEVERE REPRIMAND.
General Surgoff had word of General Burgoff's approach long before thelong line of troops appeared in sight. The former immediately madepreparations to receive him.
It was an hour after the first troops came within view of the prisoncamp that General Burgoff and General Surgoff saluted each other. Thenthe latter extended his hand, but General Burgoff appeared not to seeit.
Said the Siberian commander:
"If you will come to my quarters, sir, I shall be pleased to make you athome."
"Thank you, sir," was the reply, "but first I would deliver to you twoprisoners whom I have picked up."
He summoned his orderly. The latter went away and returned a few momentslater with Jack and Boris, surrounded by a file of soldiers. At sight ofthem, General Surgoff's eyes lighted up.
"Ah!" he exclaimed. "They escaped from here very recently, GeneralBurgoff. I am indeed glad to have them back again, especially the youngone. I shall teach him a lesson that he shall not forget if he lives tobe a hundred; and with your permission, sir, I shall do it now."
"I shall be glad to see the form of punishment you use in Siberia," wasthe other's reply.
Immediately the Siberian commander summoned two men, who it appearedwere his official "lashers." They came forward with their long whips,and cruel smiles on their features. General Surgoff indicated Jack witha gesture of his right arm.
"Strip him and give him thirty hard lashes!" he ordered.
The men sprang forward and laid hands on the lad, who submitted withouta murmur. General Surgoff eyed him with an evil smile.
"So!" he exclaimed. "I have you back, eh? Well, before I am through withyou, you will wish you had died in the snow. Hurry, men!"
The two men now stepped back and raised their whips. But before thefirst blow could be struck, General Burgoff sprang forward.
"Stop!" he commanded in a harsh voice.
Somewhat bewildered the men dropped their whips.
General Surgoff turned upon General Burgoff angrily.
"What do you mean, sir?" he demanded.
"I mean that things like this shall come to an end," declared the other."There will be no more of this brutality in Siberia, when it is in mypower to stop it."
"In your power, sir?" questioned General Surgoff. "You forget, sir, I amin command here. The punishment shall proceed. Apply the lash, men!"
"One moment," said General Burgoff quietly, raising a hand.
Again the men dropped the whips they had raised. General Burgoff turnedto the Siberian commander.
"I have allowed this matter to proceed thus far," he said, "because Idesired to see how you conducted matters here. I have seen enough. Andbesides having seen, I have heard. Your sword, sir!"
General Surgoff staggered back in utmost amazement.
"Wha--what's that?" he demanded, hardly believing the senses of his ownears.
"Your sword, and at once," said General Burgoff. "You may consideryourself under arrest, sir."
A slow smile flitted over the other's face, now that he was sure he hadunderstood.
"You forget, sir," he replied, "that I am in command here. I, sir, inturn, demand your sword for having interfered with your superiorofficer."
General Burgoff laughed aloud.
"Surely," he said, "you don't think I would make such a demand withoutsome assurance that I could enforce my orders. Come, sir, your sword,and quickly."
"And by whose command do you act?" asked General Surgoff, somewhatuneasily.
"At the command of the Czar!"
General Surgoff again staggered.
"But--but----" he began.
"Silence," interrupted General Burgoff. He drew a piece of paper fromhis pocket and passed it to the other. "By this," he said, "I amempowered to relieve you of your command in Siberia and I have fullauthority to act in your place."
General Surgoff read the paper and his eyes flashed dangerously.Suddenly he tore the paper into little bits and turned upon the otherdefiantly.
"There is your authority," he said, and threw the fragments of paper tothe wind. "You are powerless to touch me now."
Again General Burgoff smiled.
"You are a fool," he said pleasantly. "Why do you think I came here atthe head of five thousand men? Either you will give me your sword thismoment as a sign that you recognize my authority, or I shall put you andyour entire command under arrest, if I have to shoot half of them downto do so."
"But sir," protested the other, "surely you will not humiliate me in thesight of my men."
"You cannot be humiliated, sir," was the reply. "You are too low forthat. It gives me pleasure, sir, to tell you that you are a coward and acur."
General Surgoff's hand dropped to his sword belt.
"No man can call me that," he said, "and live."
"But I do," declared his successor. "I call you that and I shall live tosee you brought before the Czar. Now sir, for the last time, yoursword."
Slowly General Surgoff drew his sword and seemed on the point of passingit to the officer who had relieved him of his command. But suddenly heraised it before him and sprang forward with a cry.
General Burgoff was taken completely off his guard. Not so Jack. He hadbeen eyeing Surgoff closely and had half expected some such move.Therefore, at the moment the man leaped forward, so did Jack.
With his right hand the lad struck the officer's arm and then closedwith him. With a sudden movement he seized the arm that held the swordand he twisted it sharply. The sword went flying through the air andstruck ten yards away, while the Russian sought in vain to free himselffrom the lad's clutch.
At length, believing he had the man powerless, Jack released his holdand stepped back.
With a sudden movement the infuriated officer whipped out a revolver andaiming it directly at the lad, pressed the trigger.
Jack had seen the movement, but he was so surprised that he seemed to berooted to the spot. He was unable to move.
But there had been another close witness of the struggle and the quickaction of this watcher alone saved Jack's life.
Frank had sprung suddenly forward and succeeded in knocking up theRussian's arm at the very moment his finger tightened on the trigger.
Jack therefore emerged from the cloud of smoke unharmed.
Now Frank had grappled with the officer and was seeking to wrest therevolver from his hand. But the lad was no match for the big Russian.Jack sprang forward just in time to lend a helping hand and GeneralSurgoff was subdued without much trouble.
"Now," said General Burgoff to the deposed officer, "I shall have thepleasure of informing the Czar that you attempted to assassinate me. Doyou realize what that will mean?"
General Surgoff made no reply, though he glared at the other angrily.
"By the way, General," said Jack, stepping forward at that moment, "youhaven't forgotten the promise you made me, have you?"
General Burgoff smiled.
"No danger," he returned. "I shall be an interested witness."
He turned again to General Surgoff. "Surgoff," he said, "did you everhear of men fighting with their fists?"
"Yes," was the answer, in a snarling voice. "I have had some suchexperience myself. I took boxing lessons under an English instructor.Why do you ask?"
"Because," was the reply, "this young British officer here," and heindicated Jack with a motion of his head, "tells me that he has a scoreto settle with you and that he would be glad to settle it by the use ofhis fists. If you are proficient in that art of fighting, so much thebetter. You may possibly save yourself a severe thrashing."
"And you mean that you are going to consent to such a thing?" demandedthe other.
"I am; most decidedly. Even now I can see the marks of the lash on thislad's face. Certainly he is entitled to payment; and I intend to seethat he gets it. If you refuse to fight, I shall have you lashedmyself."
 
; General Surgoff eyed Jack keenly. The lad, though not as tall and broadas the officer, still was husky enough to give the general an idea thathe would not be easily conquered. Besides, through long residence inGreat Britain in his younger days, the officer had come to hold a greatrespect for the Englishman when it came to the use of fists. Still,compared with himself, Jack seemed small. Surgoff became possessed ofthe idea that he could overcome him.
"I'll fight him," he said in answer to General Burgoff's last remark."But I want to tell him now that he will be sorry he ever crossed mypath." Jack smiled pleasantly.
"Because of the chance that I shall have at you now," he said, "I amglad that I encountered you. You may believe me, for every lash of thewhip you have given me, you shall pay now. I will not let you off tooeasily."
"You boast," said the other. "It is unwise. Before I am through with youyou will be crying another tune."
"Perhaps," said Jack quietly. "Well, General," turning to GeneralBurgoff, "whenever you say, sir."
"It may as well be now," was the reply. "Are you ready, Surgoff?"
"Yes."
He stripped off his outer garments and rolled up his sleeves. Jack didlikewise. Frank stepped forward.
"If you please, sir?" he said. "I would like to run this thing. I knowmore of boxing than you, sir."
The general nodded his permission.
"Proceed," he said.