presence of the general.

Hal laid bare the details of the plot in a few words, and the Italian
commander eyed him incredulously.

"How am I to know you are telling the truth?" he demanded.

"For one reason, because I don't lie," replied Hal. "Besides, if you
doubt me, sir, it would be well to be on the safe side, anyhow. It can do
no harm to take the necessary precautions."

"What you say is true," replied the general.

"A wire to General Ferrari might tell you we are to be relied upon,"
continued Hal. "We were so fortunate as to be of some slight service to
him recently."

The Italian commander glanced at his watch.

"It is best to be on the safe side," he said. "I shall take the necessary
precautions, meanwhile wiring to General Ferrari, as you suggest. In the
meantime, I fear I shall have to detain you, at least, until I receive a
reply to my wire."

"But, sir," Hal protested, "I would like to go back and find my friend."

"I cannot permit that," was the reply. "How do I know that you are not
spies yourselves and have concocted this story for some reason of your
own--a reason that precautions I might take against the plot you have
outlined might throw my troops into more serious difficulties? No, I