Hal waved a hand and hurried away in the darkness.

“Guess I’ll see if I can learn anything,” said Chester to himself, after Hal had disappeared.

He approached the embassy cautiously.  He could see lights within, but the shades were drawn and he could distinguish nothing.  Once he thought he heard sounds of a struggle in the house, but he could not be sure.

He was on the point of entering, but it occurred to him that if he should fall into the enemy’s hands he could do Uncle John little good.

“I’ll wait until Hal comes back, anyhow,” he decided at last.

He walked some distance from the embassy, still remaining close enough to see any one who should leave by the front door, and sat down on the steps before a large stone house.

“Hope Hal gets a move on,” he muttered to himself, as he settled himself as comfortably as possible.

CHAPTER VIII.

Uncle John Shows his Mettle.

When Uncle John fell to the floor, his first feeling was one of anger.  He scarcely felt the sharp pain in his leg, where a bullet had grazed the skin.  He saw Chester disappearing ahead of him, and his first thought was to get up and hurry after him.

He pulled himself to his feet and again moved toward the door.  As he did so he felt a pair of arms thrown about him from behind.  Uncle John turned to give battle to this assailant.

Now Uncle John was a big man and in his youth had been noted for his strength.  Time had sapped his prowess, however, and he knew that he was no match for his adversary.  Nevertheless, he determined to fight it out.

With an effort he shook off the encircling arms and faced his opponent, who proved to be none other than Robard himself.  Bethinking himself of the days of his youth, when he had been considered something of a boxer, Uncle John decided to keep the other at arm’s length, if possible.  Therefore he squared off in most approved fashion.

It was plain that the Austrian was not an exponent of the art of self-defense and Uncle John sent three hard blows to the man’s face, before the latter stepped back and sought to bring his revolver to bear.  But Uncle John had no mind to be shot down and he sprang forward and seized the other in a fierce embrace.  This style of fighting was more to the Austrian’s liking.

A big man himself, he was nothing loath to test Uncle John’s wrestling ability.  He threw his arms about him, and the two struggled up and down the long hall, panting and gasping.

But the Austrian was a younger man and he soon realized that Uncle John was beginning to tire.  The latter realized it also and knew that if he would be successful, it must be immediately.  He put a foot in back of the Austrian and pushed hard.  Robard lost his balance and fell, but he kept his grip, and Uncle John was pulled to the floor with him.