of victim's
tied hands shook it warmly.

At that moment the scout's eyes were opened still wider with amazement,
for the unfortunate Sergeant Gotsuchakoff--who, as I have said, had been
laid down a few yards from him, and whom he had almost forgotten--began
to recover consciousness and growled something in an undertone about its
being "far too soon to turn out."

Petroff recognised the well-known growl of the sergeant. In an instant
he glided to his side, laid his hand on his mouth, and whispered--

"Gotsuchakoff, be still for your life! I am Dobri Petroff. Do you
understand?"

He looked close to the sergeant's eyes, and saw that he was understood.
At once he removed his hand, and untied the belt which fastened the
sergeant's feet.

Gotsuchakoff was too well used to war's alarms to give way to
unreasonable curiosity. He instantly perceived that the scout required
of him the utmost circumspection for some reason or other, and, in the
spirit of a true soldier, awaited orders in total silence, ready for
prompt action.

This was well, because there was little time to spare. When Petroff
directed the sergeant's attention to the Turks they were busy undoing
the bonds of their prisoner.

Without saying another word, the scout glided swiftly forward. He was
promptly followed by the sergeant. Next moment both men leaped on the
Turks and had them by their throats.

Eskiwin was no match for Gotsuchakoff, who bore him back and held him
like a vice. As for Ali Bobo, strong though he was, he felt himself to
be a perfect baby in the grasp of the scout. The two men submitted at
once, and while Petroff ordered them in a low tone to keep silence,
enforcing the order with the touch of a revolver's muzzle, the sergeant
quickly bound their arms behind them.

The scout turned to the prisoner, who was sitting on the ground with
eyes dilated to the uttermost, and mouth wide open. He sat perfectly
speechless.

There was just light enough to make darkness visible. Petroff looked
close in to the face of the man whom he had been about to stalk.

"Lancey!" he exclaimed.

"Dobri Peterhuff," gasped the other.

"Why, where _did_ you come from?" asked the scout in Turkish, which he
was aware Lancey had been attempting to learn.

"Dobri, my friend," replied the other solemnly, in English, "if this is
a dream, it is the most houtrageous dream that I've 'ad since I was a
babby. But I'm used to 'em now--only I do wish it was