thority? I claim his protection."

"Which you don't deserve, scurvy rogue," said a quiet voice. "You are
no officer--only a vile, disreputable spy."

"I can prove to you--"

"Bah! how well you speak Russian. We know all about you; we expected
you. But enough: we must be going on."

"I don't know who you may be," began McKay, hotly, "but I shall
complain of you to your superior officer."

"Silence!" replied the other, haughtily. "Have I not told you to hold
your tongue? Fill his mouth with clay, some of you, and bring him
along."

This fresh outrage nearly maddened McKay.

"You shall carry me, then," he spluttered out, from where he still lay
upon the ground.

"Ah! we'll see. Get up, will you! Prick him with the point of your
lance, Ivanovich. Come, move yourself," added the officer, as McKay
slowly yielded to this painful persuasion, "move yourself, or you
shall feel this," and the officer cracked the long lash of his
riding-whip.

"You shall answer for this barbarity," said McKay "I demand to be
taken before the General at once."

"You shall see him, never fear, sooner than you might wish, perhaps."

"Take me at once before him; I am not afraid."

"You will wait till it suits us, dog; meanwhile, lie there."

They had reached a rough shelter built of mud and long reeds. It was
the picket-house, the headquarters of the troop of Cossacks, and a
number of them were lying and hanging about, their horses tethered
close by.

The officer pointed to a corner of the hut, and, giving peremptory
instructions to a couple of sentries to watch the prisoner, for whom
they would have to answer with their lives, he disappeared.

Greatly dejected and cast down at the failure of his enterprise, and
in acute physical pain from his recent ill-usage and the tightness of
his bonds, McKay passed the rest of the night very miserably.

Dawn came at length, but with it no relief. On the contrary, daylight
aggravated his sufferings. He could see now the cruel scowling visages
of his captors, and the indescribable filth and squalor of the den in
which he lay.

"Get up!" cried a voice; but McKay was too much dazed and distracted
by all he had endured to understand that the command was addressed to
him.

It was repeated more arrogantly, and accompanied by a brutal kick.

He rose slowly and reluctantly, and asked in a sullen voice--

"Where are you taking me?"

"Before his Excellency. Step out, or must we prick you along?"