In the early afternoon the young aviators had their first view of the capital city of the Russians, at the mouth of the Neva, and they made landing upon a massive granite quay on the south bank of the big river. As the boys walked with the special messengers to Admiralty Place, they marveled at the colossal proportions of the public buildings, and looking up and down one magnificent avenue, five or six miles in length and 130 feet wide, Billy squeezed the elbow of his comrade, with the awed comment: "There's all outdoors in that street." "That's the Nevskoi Prospekt," advised Marovitch. "The very name on the colonel's card," cried Henri, "Malinkoff palace, too." "Know it very well," put in Salisky, "a twenty-minute ride, and you are there." When the dispatches were delivered the boys were not present, but there was no lack of interest for them outside. Standing near the copper-inlaid doors through which the messengers had passed were a number of Cossacks, dressed in scarlet, gold-braided caftans, white waistcoats and blue trousers. "That's a fancy looking bunch," whispered Billy; "I guess they are something extra. And--say, Buddy, if my eyes don't deceive me that fellow in the middle, the one with the bushiest beard, is no other than the boss of the crowd who shoved us in the cellar over in Galicia!" "Cracky, what a pair of eyes you've got, old scout, and sure it's the very same, though he doesn't look as rusty as he did then." Henri seemed to be fascinated by the discovery, and watched like a hawk every movement of the old enemy in the new garb. About that time the Cossack happened to cast a glance in the direction of the spot where the boys were stationed, and two pairs of eyes met in a single flash. In the fierce orbs, and under the beetling eyebrows of the knight of the mountains and deserts, the flash plainly conveyed a puzzled expression. Henri lowered his look. This risk of recognition was more than he intended his bid to bring. Turning away, the boy sought to show his indifference of the now strained situation. He managed to get an aside to Billy, in effect: "I'm afraid I've put my foot in it now." With the reappearance of Marovitch and Salisky, Henri, in subdued tone, requested information regarding their brilliantly attired neighbors. "Why," responded Marovitch, "they are of the personal escort of the Czar." "Good-night," thought Henri, "it's a fix we are into, and less than two hours in the town." "How far did you say it was to the Malinkoff palace?" he suddenly asked. "Oh, about two miles up the Prospekt," said Salisky. "Hail one of those carryalls, please," requested the aviator, pointing to the nearest stand of vehicles for hire. The Cossack had followed them, and was slowly descending the marble steps just quitted by the boys and their companions. He was evidently still debating with himself.