“What! You dare to defy the Czar?”
“I owe no allegiance to the Czar, nor do I stand in fear of his minions!” replied Frank, resolutely.
“Who are you?”
“We are Americans.”
“Then know you that you are upon the Czar’s territory. You shall surrender the prisoner or we shall fight!”
“We will fight, then!” declared Frank, sternly. “So long as we have blood in our veins we will defend this poor wretch. This may be the Czar’s territory, but when the prisoner is on the deck of the airship he is under the protection of the American flag, and that flag the United States will never permit Russia nor any other foreign country to outrage.”
The Russian officer could not reply to this sweeping declaration for some moments. He knew enough of international law to know that Frank Reade, Jr., was technically right.
“Nevertheless,” he said, gritting his teeth, savagely, “you are a good ways from America, and your fate would never be known. Unless you surrender the prisoner we will shoot every one of you.”
“Is that your craven threat?” asked Frank.
“You have heard it.”