"I cannot permit that," was the reply. "How do I know that you are not spies yourselves and have concocted this story for some reason of your own—a reason that precautions I might take against the plot you have outlined might throw my troops into more serious difficulties? No, I shall keep you under guard. That is final."
Hal realized the futility of further protest and subsided. Not so
Uncle John.
"This is an outrage, sir," he exploded. "I repeat, this is an outrage. Here we are, three of us, who have gone out of our way, to do the Italian army a service, and the best we get is trouble, fights and insults. I—"
The Italian commander raised a hand.
"I trust that you are telling the truth," he said turning to Hal, and ignoring Uncle John. "But I must make sure. You say you are a soldier. You can appreciate my position."
Hal nodded affirmatively. But Uncle John refused to be appeased.
"I think you are a lot of savages," he declared. "I wish the Austrians would blow up your whole army and drop bombs on every spot in the country. I'd help 'em do it if I had a good chance. I wouldn't turn my hand over to help you again."
The commander began to grow angry, and Hal realized it.
"That's enough, Uncle John," he remonstrated. "You'll get us in worse trouble than ever if you are not careful."
"Worse?" exclaimed Uncle John. "What can be worse than being in the same room with a bunch like this? I—"