"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.