CHAPTER IX.
CAPTURED.
Chester rose to his feet, as he saw a figure hurrying toward him.
"Must be Hal," he said.
He was right. A moment later Hal came up to him.
"Did you give the general the paper?" asked Chester.
"Yes. Any one come out of the house?"
"I haven't seen any one, and I have been right here all the time youwere gone."
"Hear any sounds from within?"
"Thought I did several times, but I couldn't be sure. Thought I heard ashot once."
"Well, we had better go and have a look. I don't believe they will harmUncle John, but he probably is beginning to be worried by this time."
He led the way and Chester followed him. Hal mounted the steps withouthesitancy and turned the knob of the door. The door opened and the ladstepped inside, where he halted with a cry of surprise. Chester peeredover his shoulder.
"Looks like a cyclone had struck this place," Hal ejaculated.
It did indeed. Robard was lying upon the floor, with a man on either sideof him, and a fourth lay some distance away, his skull crushed in.
"Uncle John probably was the cyclone," said Chester briefly. "I haveheard that he used to be considerable of a fighter in his younger days."
"And still he could hardly have done all this," said Hal.
"Remember Alexis," said Chester sententiously.
"That's different," replied Hal.
"Well, maybe so, but--"
Chester broke off and grabbed Hal by the arm.
"Sh-h-h," he whispered.
Hal listened attentively for a few seconds. The faint sound of footstepscould be heard approaching from further back in the house. At the samemoment Robard groaned, moved about and sat up. The hands of the two ladsdropped to their pockets.
But before they could draw their weapons, they were startled by a voicebehind them.
"Hands up!" it said.
There was no mistaking the menace in the quiet tones and Hal and Chesterrealized that the owner of the voice meant business.
"Good work, Fritz," came the voice of Robard, and he pulled himself tohis feet with some difficulty and advanced toward the boys. "I'll thankyou for your guns," he said. "No, I'll get them myself," he added as bothboys moved their hands toward the weapons.
He suited the action to the word and relieved the lads of theirautomatics.
"Now stand back there against the wall," he commanded.
The boys obeyed.
Robard now gave his attention to the injured men on the floor. Two ofthem showed signs of returning consciousness and soon were able to get totheir feet. The other could not be revived, and at a command from Robard,he was carried to another room.
"Well, I've got you this time," said Robard to Hal and Chester, "and thistime I'll guarantee you don't get away."
"I wouldn't be too sure of that," said Hal with a smile. "We are prettyhard to hold on to."
"I'll hold on to you, never fear," was the response. "I'd like to get myhands on the other."
"Then he has gotten away?" queried Chester.
"Oh, yes, he got away all right," said Robard with a frown. "He's asstrong as an ox, and a real fighter."
"Then he was responsible for all this human wreckage we found when wecame in?" demanded Hal.
"He was," was the grim reply, "but the next time I get my hands on himthere will be a different story to tell. Why, he's a madman when hegets started."
"Then I would advise you to keep away from him," said Hal.
The sound of footsteps outside the door prevented Robard from replying.Levelling a revolver at the lads, he motioned them to be silent, and tookup a position at the side of the hall, where he would be concealed by thedoor when it swung inward.
A hand turned the knob and the door swung back. Uncle John's faceappeared in the doorway. He saw Hal and Chester immediately and advancedwith a smile.
"So here you are," he said. "Your mothers--"
The sentence died on his lips as Robard, who had stepped quietly frombehind the door, brought the butt of his heavy revolver down upon hishead. Uncle John dropped to the floor like a log.
The action had been so sudden that neither Hal nor Chester had time togive a cry of warning, though both would have done so, in spite ofRobard's command for them to remain quiet. As Uncle John fell, Chesterstepped forward, but he was confronted by the barrel of Robard's gun.
"Stand back," said the Austrian.
Chester obeyed. There was nothing else he could do in the face of certaindeath should he refuse.
Now Robard called two of his men, and Uncle John was carried into anadjoining room. Robard motioned Hal and Chester in also.
Uncle John was laid upon the bed, and at a command from Robard, wastightly bound. Hal and Chester were also tied to chairs, after whichRobard took his leave, saying:
"I'll see you the first thing in the morning."
"What are you going to do with us?" demanded Chester.
"I haven't decided yet," was the reply. "But wait. If you will return methe paper you took from me I shall let you all go now."
"It's too late," said Hal quietly. "I gave the paper to General Ferrari."
"I had surmised as much," said Robard. "Well, good-night."
He waved a hand airily and stepped from the room. Then he turned andpoked his head back through the door.
"A word more," he said. "In case you should unloose your bonds, I wouldadvise you not to try to escape. There will be a man on guard here in thehall all night, and another outside, so you cannot leave by the window."
"Thanks," said Hal dryly.
Robard withdrew his head and a key grated in the lock.
"Well, now what are we going to do?" asked Hal.
"You've got me," replied Chester. "Say, do you know this reminds me ofold times--of the days in France, Belgium and Russia."
"You bet," agreed Hal, "and those were the good old days."
At this juncture Uncle John moaned feebly and his eyelids fluttered. Amoment later the lids opened and he gazed at Hal and Chester curiously.Then the light of comprehension dawned upon his face and he spoke:
"So they have got us all, eh?"
"Yes, they've got us," replied Chester.
"The trouble will be to keep us," said Hal. "How do you feel, sir?"
"Not much," replied Uncle John. "What did he hit me with, a crowbar?"
"No, just a revolver butt," replied Chester, grinning.
"How did they happen to capture you boys?"
"We came back here looking for you, as soon as Hal had delivered thepaper to General Ferrari," Chester explained.
"Your mothers are worried almost to death," said Uncle John.
"I'm afraid they will worry a whole lot more before we get out of here,"said Chester. "I don't know what Robard will do with us."
"Perhaps we may see the Austrian ambassador," said Hal hopefully."Certainly he would stand for no such work as this."
"I don't know about that," said Chester. "They are likely to allbe alike."
"Well, we shall just have to make the best of it," said Hal.
"By the way, Uncle John," said Chester, "you must be considerable of afighter. You laid these fellows out in great shape a while ago."
"I did do a pretty fair job," admitted his uncle, "but they made me mad."
"I vote that we try to get a little sleep," said Hal. "It won't be verycomfortable here in these chairs, but we shall have to make the best ofit. Perhaps with the coming of daylight something will turn up."
Chester tugged at his bonds in vain.
"Can't budge 'em," he said.
Hal closed his eyes.
"I'm going to try to get forty winks," he said. "Good night."
Chester followed his friend's example, and Uncle John also composedhimself to sleep. And in spite of their uncomfortable positions,presently all slumbered.
Hal was the first to awaken. The key turning in the lock of the dooraroused hi
m. Sunlight streamed in through the closed window. The face ofRobard appeared in the door, and he entered the room.
"Good morning," he said.
At the sound of his voice, Chester and Uncle John opened their eyes.
"Good morning," replied Hal. "I trust you have come to liberate us."
"Of your bonds, yes," was the reply; "but I regret to say that I cannotset you free."
"What are you going to do with us?"
"Take you to Austria."
"To Austria! Great Scott! What for?"
"For no particular reason," said Robard, and his face suddenly took ona savage look, "except that you have thwarted me, and for that youshall pay. I shall probably lose my rank for my failure to obtain thepapers, and if I do I want some one to take my spite out on. Do I makemyself clear?"
"Perfectly," replied Hal quietly. "It is very like a coward."
Robard took a threatening step forward.
"A coward, am I?" he cried in a loud voice.
He made as though to strike the lad, then suddenly changed his mind.
"I'll wait," he said. "I promise you shall regret those words before I amthrough with you."
"And when do we start?" asked Chester.
"To-night; after dark. A special train will be ready for the Austrianambassador and his suite. You shall go with us. Of course the ambassadorshall know nothing of your presence, for he would not permit me to workout a personal grudge in this way. I shall keep you out of his sight."
"The ambassador has been given his passports then?" asked Chester.
"He has, to Italy's sorrow. We shall wipe her off the map."
"Don't forget you have a pretty sizable job on your handsalready," said Hal.
Robard made no reply, but turning on his heel, strode from the room.
Boy Allies in Great Peril; Or, With the Italian Army in the Alps Page 9
