CHAPTER XXIII.

CAPTURED BY NEW ENEMIES.

Dawn came early in Boris' second watch. The wolves still maintained their vigil without. The Russian kept the fire blazing brightly. He determined to let Jack sleep an hour longer.

But this was not to be.

Glancing from the window, Boris saw the wolves suddenly begin to move away. It was strange and the Russian was unable to account for it. But he was not long making out the cause of the trouble.

Came the sound of footsteps without--not a sound made by a single man, but rather by a large body of men. Boris became instantly apprehensive, and tip-toeing across the room, he aroused Jack quietly. As the lad opened his eyes the Russian laid a warning finger to his lips:

"Sh-h-sh," he said softly.

"What's the matter now?" demanded Jack. "Wolves?"

Boris shook his head.

"Surgoff?" whispered Jack.

"Can't tell yet," was the reply. "There are men outside. Perhaps they will pass by without looking in."

"No such luck, with those dead wolves out there," said Jack.

The lad was right. Suddenly there came a voice from without, raised in surprise.

"Ho! There must be men within the hut--dead or alive. See the dead wolves? There must have been a battle. We shall go in."

The footsteps approached the door. A moment later there was a loud knock.

"Shall we open the door?" whispered Jack.

"May as well," replied Boris. "If we don't, they will break the door in."

Came a second heavy knock on the door and a voice called:

"Is there any one there?"

"One moment and I shall unbar the door," Boris called back.

The door opened at last, three men, cloaked in the uniform of Russian officers, strode in. They eyed Jack and Boris keenly.

"What are you doing here?" demanded one, evidently the commander.

"We took shelter here from the wolves," replied Boris guardedly, for, if possible, he did not wish to tell the officers they had recently come from the direction of the Siberian prison camp.

"Where from?" asked the officer.

"From the north," was the reply.

"Where are your horses and sleigh?"

Boris shrugged his shoulders.

"Probably devoured by wolves by this time, your excellency," he returned. "When we leaped out the horses were still running and the wolves after them."

"Are you from the prison camp?" demanded the officer suddenly.

The question came so suddenly that, although Boris had been expecting it, it caught him off his guard. His face turned red as he stammered:

"Why--why, n-no, your excellency."

"That," said the officer, who had not been fooled, "is an untruth. When did you escape?"

"Yesterday," replied Boris in a dull voice, for it was evident to him that it was only a question of time until he would be back in the dungeon.

"Why?"

"Because we were cruelly treated, your excellency," said Jack, stepping forward and taking a hand in the conversation.

"Surely you don't expect ladylike treatment here in Siberia?" suggested the officer with a grin.

"Hardly, sir," returned Jack. "But this is no treatment for a British officer, and when his Majesty learns of it, you may make sure that the Czar will take some drastic action, sir."

"Oho! so you know the Czar, eh?"

The Russian smiled sneeringly.

"Yes, I know the Czar," returned Jack quietly; "and if you are wise, you will be careful of your actions."

The lad's statement seemed, for some reason, to impress the officer. He dropped his tone of banter and said:

"Well, we shall see about your case. I shall conduct you back to General Surgoff myself. First, however, I have other business. I am sent to meet General Burgoff, who is coming to Siberia on some mysterious mission. We will move toward the railroad. In the meantime, you are both my prisoners."

The officer signaled them to leave the hut, which they did. Outside they found a large body of men in sleighs, in one of which there was room for two more men. The officer motioned Jack and Boris in, and after instructing his men to see that they were carefully guarded, the party drove off.

It was shortly after noon that they came in sight of the railroad, and Jack made out the same station where the train had stopped when he had entered his first fight in Siberia. The party rode up to the station and alighted. All entered the station, where the officer approached the operator.

"Special train will be here in half an hour, sir," replied the operator in reply to the officer's question. "You are in good time, sir."

"Very well," said the officer.

He sat down to wait.

It was less than half an hour later that a distant rumble gave notice that the train was approaching. A few moments later it drew up at the station. The Russian officer uttered an exclamation of astonishment as troops began to pour from the twenty cars.

"By the Czar!" he exclaimed. "I wonder why General Burgoff comes in such force? I had expected that he would come practically alone. Here he must have five thousand men!"

Nevertheless he advanced to meet the Russian commander without delay.

General Burgoff descended from his car with a firm step and haughty mien. He did not pay much attention to the officer who came forward to greet him, other than to return his salute and say a few words. He spoke to one of his own officers.

"Have the men on the march immediately," he said sharply.

The latter saluted and moved away.

The general entered the station and by his side walked Frank, come to Siberia to find his friend and chum. And no sooner had Frank entered the station that his eyes rested upon Jack.

"Jack!" he cried and dashed forward.

Jack turned quickly in utter amazement at the sound of his chum's voice.

"Frank!" he cried joyfully, and half rose, only to be pushed down again by one of the soldiers who guarded him.

Frank turned upon the soldier and cried:

"Let him alone."

At this moment the Russian officer who had captured Jack and Boris came up.

"Look here," he said to Frank. "These men are my prisoners and neither you nor any one else can interfere with them."

"Is that so?" shouted Frank, losing his temper. "Well, I'll----"

A firm hand was laid on the lad's arm and he looked into the face of General Burgoff; the general's face wore a peculiar smile.

"Silence, if you please," said the general. "I shall attend to this matter myself."

Frank drew back a trifle as General Burgoff turned toward the officer who accosted Frank.

"You, sir," said the general sternly, "are hereby relieved of the custody of your prisoners. I shall accept the responsibility; and in the future when you address any one at all, let it be in more of a gentlemanly manner."

The officer flushed at this rebuke.

"But sir," he protested, "I must make my report to General Surgoff, sir. He is in command in Siberia and he will not like your having taken my prisoners from me."

"Now don't let that worry you, colonel. You need report to General Surgoff no more except when I tell you to."

The colonel bowed.

"I do not know your authority, sir," he said, "but I must yield to you as my superior officer. The prisoners are yours, sir; but I would add, if you will permit me, that they have escaped from General Surgoff and that he would probably be glad of their return."

"Very well," said the general. "I am going to pay my respects to General Surgoff. You may consider yourself on my staff for the present. Now present my compliments to Colonel Luskowith and tell him to march immediately."

The colonel bowed and departed. General Burgoff advanced to Jack's side.

"So!" he exclaimed, "the young Englishman whom I sentenced to Siberia, eh?"

"The same," said Jack briefly.

"I have come," continued the general, "to tell you that I have discovered my grievous error, to release you and to ask your pardon."

Jack was on his feet instantly.

"Say no more about it, sir," he exclaimed. "You were greatly worried and overwrought at the time, sir. Any man will make a mistake, sir."

The general looked at the lad keenly and then extended his hand. Jack grasped it. Then the general turned to Boris.

"And your fellow prisoner?" he asked.

"Boris," said Jack. "He has aided me greatly in making my escape."

"Then, for that reason, if for no other," said General Burgoff, "I shall not question the reason of his imprisonment. He is free."

The general motioned the soldiers who guarded the two to stand aside.

"And now," he added, "tell me how you have been treated. Have you any complaint to make?"

Jack's lips set sternly.

"Do not think I am whining, sir," he said, "when I say that the treatment accorded prisoners by General Surgoff and his underlings is barbarous."

"Tell me," said the general.

Jack told of his own treatment and that of other prisoners as he had witnessed it. General Burgoff's face turned red as the lad progressed, and when he had concluded, he said:

"Yes, I shall pay my respects to General Surgoff, and at the Czar's command. So that is the way prisoners are treated in Siberia, eh?"

"General," said Jack, "I have a favor to ask."

"Name it; it is granted," was the reply.

"Then, sir, in respect to General Surgoff, will you not follow my plan?" and the lad outlined an idea that had come into his head.

When Jack stopped talking, General Burgoff clapped his hands and exclaimed:

"Good! Good! It shall be done! Come, gentlemen, we shall move at once. I shall indeed be glad to see my dear General Surgoff!"