At this Gilbert shook his head. “I’m alone,” he said. “But I shouldn’t like to have that fellow know it.”
“What became of your men?”
“They started to return to the main body of our command. What of yours?”
“We fell in with some of the Cossacks and had a pretty warm fight for a few minutes. Then most of my men fled. I was surrounded and captured, and three of the Cossacks brought me here. I think they take me for a spy.”
No time was lost after this in tying the hands of the Cossack in the corner. Then Gilbert asked the fellow a number of questions in Russian, but got little satisfaction.
“Why not search him?” suggested Ben, and this was done. The prisoner objected roundly, but it was of no avail. In an inner pocket was found a map of the mountains and trails, and some sort of an order written in Russia.
“I believe this chap is a spy!” cried Gilbert. “We must take him back to the Japanese camp by all means.”
“Easy enough to say, Gilbert. But you must remember that these hills are full of the enemy.”
“We must watch our chances.”
Both deemed it unsafe to remain at the huts, and a little later they moved off, taking the cavalryman’s horse with them.