As soon as Dave saw the Germans he attempted to retreat, but they were too quick for him, and in a few seconds six of the enemy had surrounded him while several more were running in that direction.
As we know, the young lieutenant was unarmed, so resistance was out of the question. Several of the Germans pointed their rifles at him, and then there was nothing left for him to do but throw up his hands in token of surrender.
“Watch him, you Kopek and Posen,” said an under officer, in German. “There may be more coming.”
The two soldiers addressed pushed Dave roughly to one side in an angle of the wall, and there one of them held him at the point of a bayonet. In the meantime, the other Germans, under the leadership of the officer, spread out across the passageway of the mine. Some even ran a distance ahead, peering this way and that along the dark passageways.
Presently the officer came back, accompanied by one of his men, a fellow who had lived for some time in London and who could speak fairly good English.
“Haf you been all alone?” demanded this soldier, after having received a request for this information from his superior.
“Yes, I am all alone,” answered Dave.
“How did you come by this part of the mine?” was the next question put.
Dave saw no reason for deceiving those who had made him a prisoner, and in a straightforward manner he told of having rolled down through an opening in the mines some distance off, and then related how he had wandered around, met the savage dogs, and finally come out into daylight at this point. The German listened attentively, and from time to time translated what our hero said for the benefit of the others.
“And you wass sure you been all alone?” was the next question.