"No, sir, we have not," replied De Forrest. "I suppose you will think we ran away; but we did not."
"I must acknowledge that the course you have taken is open to that interpretation," added the doctor.
"I knew you would think so," said Beckwith, trying to look honest and innocent.
"Nothing of the sort, sir," continued De Forrest. "We took a cup of coffee at Tver, and then stepped out in the rear of the station to get a sight of the town and the river. The conductor told me the train would not start for fifteen minutes, or I didn't understand him. I don't know which."
"You asked him how long he remained at the station, after he had been there ten minutes?"
"Your German was better than your logic."
"I supposed he meant fifteen minutes more."
"You had no right to suppose so, if you did suppose any such thing. However, it is not for me to decide on this case."
"The train went off in less than five minutes. We ran after it, and yelled with all our might. Didn't you hear us, sir?"
"I confess that I did not," replied the doctor, with a smile; "but that doesn't prove that I am hard of hearing. You came down the Volga?"
"Yes, sir. I thought Moscow was on the Volga, but Beckwith said it was not," replied De Forrest.
"I knew it was not, and told him so," protested Beckwith.
"The captain spoke English a little, and told us we could take the train to Moscow. We didn't like to wait in that station till five o'clock the next morning."
"A train left Tver at about eleven that forenoon, and I supposed, if you were left, that you would come down in that."
At this moment Captain Ekovetz came into the office, and through him it was ascertained that the runaways were captured while they were going on board of a steamer about to start for Kazan, and had their tickets, for which the police compelled the seller to refund the money. De Forrest attempted to explain, but his statement was rather improbable--quite as much so as the rest of his story.
"How long have you been here?" inquired the doctor.
"We staid at the Hotel Odessa, but the police and the servants watched us all the time."
"This isn't a good country to run away in," laughed the doctor.
"Getting left is about the same thing. But we will move on, for we have not much time to spare."