"You make ze escape, monsieur?" the little man repeated, lifting his eyebrows in his amazement. "Truly, you Englishmen are brave. Ha, ha!" he went on, clapping his hands, "what need I, Pierre Moutard, fear? We will make ze escape with each others, and we will snap ze fingers at our perfide enemy;" and, putting his arms akimbo and throwing his chin proudly in the air, he frowned at the nearest sentry as though he would eat him. The man answered with a hoarse growl, causing the Frenchman to start and take his place between Phil and Tony rather hurriedly. "Aha, ze perfide!" they heard him mutter beneath his breath. "He think 'e frighten me." "I wonder where they will take us!" mused Phil. "If only they will be good enough to put us in the same prison as last time, I think we can guarantee that we will get out somehow." "That we will," answered Tony with emphasis. "But what about this here Froggy with the red legs?" he asked in a cautious whisper. "He's kind of tied himself on to us--made pals of us, yer see,--so I suppose he'll have to escape with us too?" He asked the question as though an escape had been already arranged. "Heaps of time to think of that," said Phil, with a laugh. "But I must say the little man seems rather nervous." "Pah! nervous! Just fancy getting frightened when one of these surly-looking guards growls at him. It's disgusting, that's what it is." "Well, we won't worry about it now, Tony. Look out. Here come our orders." An officer joined the group at this moment, and closely inspected the prisoners. "What has happened?" he asked, less gruffly than usual. "We were wrecked by the storm and blown into the harbour," answered Phil in his best Russian. "Ah, you speak our language, sir! Good! You were wrecked, you say, and must therefore be cold and exhausted. Sergeant, take the prisoners into the guard-room, and bring this officer to my quarters. See that coffee and a glass of vodka are given to the other two. In half an hour you will call for my guest and march them all three to the prison-hall." The man saluted, and led Tony and Pierre away, while, taking Phil's arm, the Russian led him on one side and asked how he happened to have the little Frenchman in his company. A few minutes later he strode away, but rejoined Phil when the latter had been taken to the quarters set aside for officers. "Sit down there, sir," said the Russian, politely motioning Phil to a chair. "Now we will have breakfast, and I am sure you must be in great need of food. You look quite exhausted." He struck a bell, and a meal of steaming hot fish and coffee was brought in, to which Phil did ample justice. Then a cigar was handed him, and he puffed at it with the greatest pleasure.