Captain Robert led the way to the central tent, ushered in his two prisoners and retired. As he did so, a squad of six men, armed with rifles, fell into line behind Dean and Mortimer. The latter found themselves confronted with Colonel Henry, who was seated before a large table facing the entrance to the tent. “Your names,” he asked curtly, with a scowl. “I’m Captain Mortimer, of the Imperial Guard, and this is Professor Dean,” was Mortimer’s reply. “Who are you?” “Since when have prisoners taken to doing the questioning?” asked the other, with an ugly sneer. “Prisoners!” retorted Mortimer, scornfully, “to whom--to what authority?” “Yes, prisoners!” was the answer with rising fury, “and if you’ve any doubt on that score, I’ll soon convince you of the fact.” He paused a moment and calmed himself with an effort. “You are prisoners,” he continued, “just as the rest of the Imperial Guard will be soon--prisoners or dead.” Captain Mortimer laughed derisively. Trained in the roughness of service in camp and field, he was no great adept in the milder methods of diplomacy and the soft answer that turneth away wrath. “Since when did you escape from safe-keeping?” he asked contemptuously. Henry rose to his feet, his face flushed with anger. “You may laugh,” he cried, “but what I say is true. They’ll all be prisoners, or dead!” Mortimer shrugged his shoulders, with the air of a man who declines to pursue an utterly nonsensical proposition further. “Enough,” exclaimed Henry. “What I want to know is where you got that air-ship?” “That’s for you to find out,” replied Mortimer. “And I will,” retorted Henry, with growing anger. “That air-ship was stolen from one of our camps. There’s been a traitor somewhere and that traitor I propose to discover.” “Yes?” “Yes; if I have to drag the secret out of you by main force.” “You certainly stand an excellent chance of doing it!” sneered Mortimer. “This much I’ll tell you, though, so that no innocent person may possibly come under suspicion: The air-ship is not stolen property. It was built by an honest man and is the property of His Majesty, the King.” A look of mingled astonishment, incredulity and anger came into Henry’s face as Mortimer spoke. At the closing words he startled perceptibly. “You lie!” he cried.