f in the days when he was a
divisional general, and he is willing to throw in his lot with ours."

"Can you trust him!" asked Malcolm.

"I think so," said Malinkoff, "unless we shoot him we simply must trust
him--what do you think, Mr. Bim?"

"You can call me Cherry," said that worthy. He was eating bread and sour
cheese which had been bought at a fabulous price in one of the villages
through which they had passed. Here again they might have been compelled
to an act which would have called attention to their lawless character,
for they had no money, had it not been for Cherry. He financed the party
from the lining of his waistcoat (Malcolm remembered that the little man
had never discarded this garment, sleeping or waking) and made a casual
reference to the diamonds which had gone to his account via a
soi-disant princess and the favourite of a Commissary.

"Anyway," he said, "we could have got it from the chauffeur--he's open
to reason."

They did not ask him what argument he would have employed, but were glad
subsequently that these arguments had not been used.

What was as necessary as food was petrol. Peter the chauffeur said that
there were big army supplies in Preopojensky itself, and undertook to
steal sufficient to keep the car running for a week.

They waited until it was dark before they left the cover of the wood,
and walked in single file along a cart-track to the half a dozen
blinking lights that stood for Preopojensky.

The car they had pulled into deeper cover, marking the place with a
splinter of mirror broken from its silver frame.

"Nothing like a mirror," explained Cherry Bim. "You've only to strike a
match, and it shows a light for you."

The way was a long one, but presently they came to a good road which
crossed the track at right angles, but which curved round until it ran
parallel with the path they had followed.

"There is the military store," whispered the chauffeur. "I will go now,
my little general."

"I trust you, _drushka_," said Malinkoff.

"By the head of my mother I will not betray you," said the man, and
disappeared in the darkness.

After this they held a council of war.

"So far as I can remember, Petroff is the silk merchant," said
Malinkoff, "and his house is the first big residence we reach coming
from this direction. I remember it because I was on duty at the
Coronation of the Emperor, and his Imperial Majesty came to
Preopojensky, which is a sacred place for the