CHAPTER XXVII.
PRISONERS.
Came a knock at the door.
"You answer it, Miss Ellison, please," said Hal, adding: "If you arequestioned, tell the same story you told Chester."
The girl nodded and moved to the door without a sign of nervousness.Directly she could be heard in conversation with one of the officers.Then followed heavy footsteps approaching.
"You say they are in here? I'll have a look at them myself," said avoice.
A moment later the scowling face of a Bulgarian colonel appeared in thedoorway. Helen stood just behind him and behind her were several otherBulgarian officers.
Hal rose, as did the others, as the Bulgarian swept into the room.
"Who are you?" demanded the officer in a harsh voice.
"Hal Paine, an American," replied the lad, and indicated the others afterthis fashion: "Chester Crawford, also an American; Harry Anderson, anAmerican; Nikol, an Albanian, the servant there of Anthony Stubbs,American war correspondent; Ivan Vergoff, also an Albanian."
"Hm-m-m," muttered the Bulgarian. "You have quite a fluent tongue, youngman. And what are you doing here?"
"Three of us," said Hal, indicating Chester, Colonel Anderson andhimself, "were looking about Montenegro when the war broke out. We havebeen there since, lending what aid we could to the wounded. There weencountered Ivan Vergoff, who, for some reason, became attached to us.There also we encountered Anthony Stubbs, war correspondent, and hisman, Nikol."
"Very plausible, very plausible," said the Bulgarian. "But how do I knowyou speak the truth?"
Hal shrugged his shoulders.
"We can't very well offer proof of our identities," he said. "But werethe American consul here, I could very soon convince him."
The officer frowned at this remark. The mention of an American consul orminister or ambassador always brought frowns to the faces of militaryofficers in the war zone. It boded trouble if American subjects were notwell treated.
"And how do you happen to be here?" demanded the Bulgarian.
"Montenegro was becoming too warm," said Hal. "We thought we would getinto Bulgaria or Greece, neutral countries. We did not know Bulgaria haddeclared war."
The Bulgarian's face seemed to relax a trifle. Apparently Hal had made afavorable impression.
"Well," he said, "the best I can do is turn you over to my superior.Still, if things are as you say, I have no doubt that you will be allowedto proceed into Greece."
"Thank you, Colonel," said Hal.
The officer glanced around the room; and suddenly his eyes fell upon aman lying in the corner of the room. It was the Bulgarian whom Ivan hadtied up the night before.
"What's that?" demanded the officer.
He commanded another of his officers to investigate. Hal's heart fell.
The other officer stepped quickly across the room and jerked the man tohis feet. Then he untied him and drew him before the Colonel. The latter,after one glance at the Bulgarian uniform, ordered his other men to guardall exits, and he addressed the man.
"What are you doing here, sir?" he asked sharply.
"I came here with some of my comrades last night," said the man. "I, alittle in advance of the others, was overpowered and tied up. All I knowof the others is that they arrived later and there was a fight. I haveheard these people say my comrades were killed."
"Search the house and make a careful examination without!" ordered theBulgarian officer.
Half a dozen of his men leaped to obey. The officer said nothing untilhis men reported fifteen minutes later.
"The man speaks the truth," said one of the officers, indicating theBulgarian.
The colonel whirled upon Hal.
"So," he exclaimed, "you have been lying to me. Perhaps you are notAmericans, eh? Perhaps you are attached to the Anglo-French expedition atSaloniki?"
"I--" began Hal, but the officer silenced him with a gesture.
Then he turned to one of his officers.
"Take a squad of ten men and escort these prisoners to General Blozle!"he commanded shortly. "Search them for weapons first."
Hal and Chester realized the futility of resistance. They held their armshigh, as did the others, and were relieved of their weapons without aword. Then, surrounded by a guard, they were marched away.
An hour later they stood before the Bulgarian commander, where theofficer who had captured them related his story. General Blozle eyedthem keenly.
"Have you anything to say?" he asked when the colonel had presented thecase against them.
Chester stepped forward.
"Just this, general," he said quietly. "Miss Ellison here is in no wayconcerned in anything we may have done. We had never seen her until lastnight, as she told the colonel. Also, I would like to speak a word forMr. Stubbs here. He is, as my friend has said, an American warcorrespondent. That's all, sir."
The lad resumed his place.
"Bah!" exclaimed the general. "You as much as admit you are a spy. If youare a spy, so are the others. You are a lot of spies. You English hounds!If it were not for the English, Bulgaria would now have what wasrightfully hers. You shall all be shot at sunrise! Take them away!"
The prisoners were marched out with scant ceremony. They were taken to alarge tent, with ample room for all of them. There they were securelybound and a guard stationed without.
"Well," said Stubbs quietly, with nothing of the fear of other days inhis manner, "I guess we have come to the finish line at last."
"It looks that way, Mr. Stubbs," said Chester sadly. "I am sorry that wehave implicated you in this."
"Oh, that's all right," replied the little man. "I'm not blaming you. ButI would have liked to go back to New York once more."
Chester turned to Helen.
"And you, Miss Ellison," he said. "I hardly know what to say. If it hadnot been for me, you would not have been in this serious predicament."
Helen smiled at him.
"Say no more about it," she said quietly. "You saved me once. I am notthe girl to whine now."
"Now that you people have all decided you are going to die, I would liketo say a few words."
It was the voice of Nikol.
The others looked at him in surprise.
"What's the matter with you?" demanded Stubbs. "Want to berate us, Isuppose, for getting you into this fix."
Nikol eyed Stubbs somewhat scornfully.
"I," said Nikol, "wish to say that while there is life there is hope."
"Good for you, old man," cried Hal. "You have expressed my thoughtsexactly."
"Suppose you tell us how, securely tied as we are, we are going to getout of here?" Stubbs addressed Nikol.
"Very simple," said Nikol. "First I want to say this. I am no strategist.I can unloosen us all, if some one else will show us the way out."
"You do your part, Nikol, and I'll try and do mine," said Hal quietly.
The dwarf eyed him approvingly.
"You are the one person in the crowd who seems to have sense," he said."As I say, I can break our bonds at any time. I can break the ropes thatbind me and I have no doubt that Ivan there can do the same."
Ivan nodded his head energetically.
"I had thought of it," he smiled. "Yes; I can do it."
"Then why haven't you done it a long while ago?" demanded Stubbs."Anything is better than remaining here like this."
"I haven't done it before for fear of discovery," said Nikol.
"My idea exactly," agreed Ivan.
"It would be better," Nikol continued, "to wait until we are sure weshall not be disturbed again during the night. Then Ivan and I shall freeourselves and release the others. I believe it would be unwise now."
"Good reasoning, Nikol," said Hal. "We shall wait, as you suggest."
Nikol became silent again. Ivan said nothing either.
"But it's awfully tiresome being trussed up like this," Stubbs protested.
"Better a little tiresomeness now than a bullet in the morning, Mr.
Stubbs," returned Chester.
"Right you are, Chester, I'll kick no more," said Stubbs.
He, too, became silent.
Hal, Chester and Colonel Anderson talked in low whispers.
"After we are freed of our bonds, then what?" questioned the Colonel.
Chester shrugged his shoulders as much as his bonds would permit.
"Ask Hal," he replied. "I don't seem to be able to think of anything."
"Well," said Hal, "our guards, knowing that we are apparently securelybound, won't keep as strict guard as they should, I hope. Once freed,perhaps we can tap one of them over the head and appropriate his uniform.After that another uniform and so on until there are garments for all.We'll climb into them. Then we'll crawl under the tent, and once outside,we'll strike out boldly."
"And after that?" questioned Chester.
This time it was Hal who shrugged his shoulders.
"Who knows?" he said quietly. "We'll have to leave something to chance."
"And Miss Ellison?"
"A uniform for her also," said Hal decisively. "It's the only way."
"But--"
"Oh, I know it is a desperate chance," exclaimed Hal. "But certainlyit is better than sitting down and awaiting the arrival of thefiring squad."
"You're right, Hal," said Chester. "But it's a ticklish business and onethat will require nerve."
"It's not a question of nerve, when you know what's in store in themorning," said Hal. "But as this is my plan, I'll do the work, or whatpart of it I may."
"You're the doctor," Chester agreed.
"Now," said Hal, "we'll try and get a little sleep. We can do nothinguntil after dark, and the better our physical conditions, the better ourchances for escape."