A noise in the room which they had left roused them. Looking in they saw about a dozen dragoons with the captain and the landlord. The dragoons had arranged themselves in line at the word of command, and the landlord stood with a terror-stricken face beside the captain.
"Ah!" said Obed, who had looked through the window into the room, "this looks serious. There's some absurd mistake somewhere, but just now it does seem as though they want us, so I move that we go in and show ourselves."
Saying this he entered the room, followed by the others, and the eight Americans ranged themselves quietly opposite the dragoons. The sight of these red-shirted strangers produced a very peculiar effect on the soldiers, as was evident by their faces and their looks; and the captain, as he regarded the formidable proportions of Obed, seemed somewhat overawed. But he soon overcame his emotion, and, stepping forward, he exclaimed:
"Siete nostri prigionieri. Rendetevi."
"What's that he says?" asked Obed.
"He says we're his prisoners," said one of the Heidelbergians, "and calls on us to surrender."
"Tell him," said Obed, unconsciously parodying Leonidas--"Tell him to come on and take us."
The Heidelbergian translated this verbatim.
The captain looked puzzled.
"Boys," said Obed, "you may as well get your revolvers ready."