The General bustled into another room, to telephone for a doctor. Hike sat beside the couch, feeling the Captain’s pulse, while the Lieutenant was searching through the General’s cabinet, upstairs, for a medicine that would bring the Captain to. The room was very quiet. Hike felt himself nodding away, unable to keep awake, even now, when in the presence of what looked like death. Through half-closed eyelids, he suddenly saw the Captain sit up, fling his legs off the couch, and aim a blow with closed fist. Hike ducked and hit back, but the Captain rushed to a window—open to the summer night—and leaped out. Dashing to the window, Hike saw him run around the corner. He yelled to the Lieutenant and the General, and started for the door. “Captain’s escaped. Went through window,” he bawled from the doorstep, and hurried down the stairs. There was not a sign of the Captain in the streets about. The General, Hike and Adeler ran in different directions—but no trace of Welch. He had probably caught a trolley-car, or a taxicab, on a busy street near by. They finally gave up the chase and gathered at the General’s house. “My ankle is _very_ sore after this last run,” said the General angrily. “The next time I try to handle prisoners myself—well, I won’t.” “It was my fault,” Hike began. “Of _course_!” said the General. “I ought to expect you, after you’ve been through an experience that would kill most youngsters, to capture the Captain, single-handed! Mr. Adeler, what’s your idea of how Welch got over prussic acid so quickly as that?” “It’s a mystery to me,” said Jack Adeler, wearily. “I’ve got an idea,” said Hike. “I don’t believe that _was_ prussic acid! Here’s the bottle. Couldn’t it be tested?” He fished the vial out of his side pocket. He had picked it up when the Captain dropped it. “Good boy!” roared the General. “Of course! But let’s try it. I don’t think I’ve forgotten all my chemistry, and I’ve a small laboratory here. Any liquid left in the bottle?” “A couple of drops.” “Let’s see it.” The General, limping, led the way to a small laboratory he had upstairs. Silently the other two watched him test the few drops left. At last he tossed the vial into a basket, laughing. “That’s about as much prussic acid as I am. It’s pure water! Well. _Well!_” The General seated himself wearily in a straight-backed wooden chair, then started up and exclaimed, “Can’t I even have a comfortable chair, after all this? Come on down to the library. Mr. Adeler, we’ll have a couple of cigars. Do you smoke, you, young Griffin? No? Well, I’m glad to hear you don’t.” When they were all seated in the great library, the General mused: “Well, we’ve been busy to-night. It isn’t much after midnight, but it’s all over. By the way, Mr. Adeler, did you telephone those orders to the police-station to have the tetrahedral’s house, and your rooms, watched? That’s good. Some of those thugs might make trouble yet.