k the hint and maintained silence
while they climbed down from the truck and approached the door of the
building.

It swung open as they approached. As they entered a strong garlic-like
smell was evident. The hum of heavy machinery smote their ears.

* * * * *

They were led down a corridor to a flight of steps. On the floor below
they went along another corridor to a heavy iron-studded door. The guide
unlocked it with a huge key and swung it open. With a shrug of his
shoulders, Dr. Bird led the way into the cell. The door closed behind
them and they were left alone. Dr. Bird turned to his companions.

"Be careful what you say," he whispered. "I am not at all convinced that
there is no one here who knows English and we are probably spied upon.
There is almost sure to be a dictaphone somewhere in this room. We don't
want to give them any more information than we have to."

Carnes and McCready nodded. Dr. Bird spoke aloud of inconsequential
matters while they explored the cell. It was a room some twenty feet
square, fitted with three bunks on one side, built into the wall like
the berths on shipboard. The room was lighted by a single electric light
overhead. A door opened into a lavatory equipped with running water.

"We're comfortable here, at any rate," said the doctor cheerfully. "They
evidently don't mean to make us suffer. I'd like to know why they took
the trouble to capture us, anyway. It would seem to be more in line with
their usual policy to have shot us on sight. It must be that they want
some sort of information from us."

Neither of his companions had a better reason to offer and conversation
languished. For an hour they sat almost without speech. A sound at the
door brought them to their feet. It opened and a Russian girl pushed in
a cart laden with food. She made no reply to the remarks which Dr. Bird
addressed to her but quickly and silently put their food on the table.
When she had completed her task, she left the room without having spoken
a word.

"Beautiful, but dumb," Dr. Bird remarked. "Let's eat."

"Do you suppose that it's safe to eat this food, Doctor?" asked Carnes
in a whisper.

"I don't know, and I don't care. If we've got to go out, we might as
well be poisoned as shot. If we refuse food, they can poison us through
our water. We couldn't refuse that for any length of time. I'm hungry
and I'm going to make a good meal. What's this stuff, _bortsch_?"