"Well," Hal began, "I met Alexis first—"
He stopped suddenly and listened attentively.
"What was that?" he demanded.
"What?" asked Edwards.
"I thought I heard a voice calling. Sounded like a cry for help."
Ivan broke into a loud laugh.
"Ho! Ho!" he cried. "Guess you heard my prisoners."
"Prisoners?" Hal repeated inquiringly.
"Yes. I came across them this afternoon. They sought to ply me with questions. I treated them respectfully enough, but when they continued to plague me, I just picked them up and brought them here. I have a suspicion they may be Austrian spies and if there is one race of men for whom I have no use, it is the Austrians. But they do not annoy you, do they? If so, I shall go back and have a word with them. After that I assure you they will annoy you no more."
"Oh, no," Hal hastened to say. "They do not annoy me in the slightest.
But what do you intend to do with them?"