The governor, who looked, Jack thought, even more savage and ill-tempered than usual, was seated at a writing-table.

He signed to the sergeant who accompanied them to retire, and pointed to two chairs.

"So," he said, "I am told that you are able to converse fairly in Russian, although you have chosen to sit silent whenever I have been present, as if you did not understand a word of what was being said.

This is a bad sign, and gives weight to the report which has been brought to me, that you are meditating an escape." "It is a lie, sir," Dick said firmly, "whoever told it you.

As to our learning Russian, we have, as you see, picked up a little of the language, but I'm not aware of any rule or law by which gentlemen, whether prisoners or otherwise, are obliged to converse, unless it pleases them to do so.