“I beg you,” said the Colonel with great earnestness, “to speak out at once. I believe it to be important--extremely important that you should do so.” Kearns still hesitated. “Oh, tell the gentleman the state of the case, by all means,” exclaimed the Professor. “I feel really quite tired and exhausted and am anxious to get as quickly as possible out of this dilemma.” “Tired--exhausted!” cried the Colonel. He turned to the Lieutenant. “Give them chairs. If what I suspect be true, it is of the highest importance that no mishap should occur to them!” Chairs were procured for the two prisoners and, when they were seated, Dean turned to his companion. “Speak out and end this situation,” he again urged. “All right,” assented Kearns. Without further delay he narrated their experiences with the Doctor in the cave. The Colonel listened with extraordinary interest. “And so,” said Kearns in conclusion, “if this is really the month of July, as I’ve been told, we must have slept, or been in a condition of suspended animation, as that confounded Doctor called it, for a period of six weeks. But, tell me, what is the date?” But the Colonel, who was looking at the prisoners with absorbed interest, did not answer. Instead, he put the following question, bending forward in eager anxiety for the reply: “Can you tell me the date when you went into that cave and entered into that--ah--sleep you have described?” “Certainly,” answered Kearns. “It was June the tenth.” “June the tenth of what year?” “June the tenth, nineteen hundred, of course.” “What!” “Whew!” Both the Colonel and the Lieutenant uttered exclamations. The Colonel was red and excited; the Lieutenant half rose from his seat behind the desk. The prisoners stared in astonishment. What could there be so very extraordinary in the simple statement they had made? There was a dead pause for a moment. Then the Colonel again turned to the Lieutenant. “This is certainly very strange--very wonderful,” he said. “They must be taken in hand pending developments. Care must be taken of them--that they do not succumb----” “What is so strange--what is it that is so wonderful?” broke in the Professor. But the Colonel disregarded the question. “I will take them with me--to my place,” he continued, addressing the Lieutenant. “They will be properly cared for there.” “But the charge! How about the charge which has been preferred against them?” “As a county magistrate, I am empowered to admit them to bail.” “That’s true, Colonel.” “Let the charge stand. For the time being, I permit them to go on their own recognizance. I will take care of them.” “Very well, Colonel. Will you please sign the necessary papers?” “Yes; give them to me.” The Lieutenant handed the Colonel a paper and a pen and the latter hastily scratched a signature. Then he turned to Kearns and the Professor. “Come with me,” he said. But Kearns demurred.