Boy Allies in the Balkan Campaign; Or, the Struggle to Save a Nation

by Clair W. Hayes

  CHAPTER XV.

  MR. STUBBS EASES HIS MIND.

  The remainder of the journey to Cettinje was without incident. After thedefeat of the mountaineers the lads felt safe, for they were once morewithin the borders of Montenegro and were unlikely, they knew, toencounter other enemies.

  Stubbs, when informed of the death of Colonel Edwards, was greatlygrieved.

  "Poor fellow," he said, and added after a pause: "There is no usetalking, Hal, this is no life for any one. He's likely to be snuffed outat a moment's notice. I'm going to be careful where I go in the future."

  Besides the three bags of gold he had carried when he left the Albanianmountains, Hal now had the two he had taken from the body of ColonelEdwards. The two Nicolas had carried had been left with him, for therehad been no time to get them. Stubbs had held on to the two entrusted tohim, and Ivan, wherever he was, had two more.

  It was while speaking of the gold that Hal's thoughts turned to Ivan.

  "I wonder what can have happened to him?" he said.

  Chester shrugged his shoulders.

  "No telling," he replied. "However, I guess he'll turn up sooneror later."

  And the lad was right.

  It was dark when the little party came again within the first line ofMontenegrin troops. Colonel Anderson announced that he would seek anaudience of King Nicholas immediately. He made his wants known to theofficer of the guard, and after he had explained the situation, theofficer departed to learn whether the king would see the returnedtravelers. He returned fifteen minutes later with the announcement thatthe king would receive them in his field quarters immediately.

  As they started for the monarch's quarters, Stubbs and Nikol bothhung back.

  "Come on now, Mr. Stubbs," said Chester. "The king will be as glad to seeyou as any of the rest of us."

  "I'm not much used to kings," Stubbs protested. "Besides, this is none ofmy expedition. You're the fellows he wants to see."

  "Nonsense," said Hal, and struck with a sudden thought, he added:"Perhaps the king will give you an interview. It would be a good thingfor the _New York Gazette_."

  "By Jove! you're right there," Stubbs agreed. "I must be a greatnewspaper man to have overlooked a thing like that. If my boss knew itI'd get fired. I'll go along."

  Still Nikol hung back, and it took considerable coaxing before heconsented to go; and then it took Stubbs to clinch matters.

  "Look here, now," he said, eyeing Nikol sternly, "I took you for a braveman. You're not afraid of a king, are you?"

  Nikol shook his head negatively.

  "Well, if you don't come along I'll think you are," declared Stubbs."Look at me now. I don't care particularly about going, but I want toshow King Nicholas I'm not afraid of him. Come on."

  He took the dwarf by the arm and the latter moved along grumblingto himself.

  The king received the party in his private quarters--a large field tent.When the party was ushered into his presence, he was attended by a singleorderly. He arose at their entrance. His eyes surveyed the group quickly,and he demanded:

  "Where is my friend, Colonel Edwards?"

  Colonel Anderson, delegated spokesman for the party by reason of hissuperior rank, stepped forward and replied quietly:

  "He is dead, sire."

  The king took a step backward and passed a trembling hand across hisbrow. He was silent for some moments before replying.

  "Dead! One more victim of the Kaiser's militarism. Tell me, howdid he die?"

  Colonel Anderson explained quietly and briefly. Then, at the king'srequest, he went into the details of the journey; and when he hadconcluded, King Nicholas expressed his deep thanks for the service eachmember of the party had rendered him.

  "And you say Nicolas, the traitor, is dead?" he questioned.

  "Yes, your majesty. Nikol here," and Colonel Anderson indicated thedwarf, "saw to that."

  The king turned to Nikol. Then he commanded:

  "Come here!"

  Trembling, in spite of his denial that he was afraid of a king, Nikolapproached. The king extended a hand, and Nikol bent one knee and put hislips to the hand.

  "I thank you," said King Nicholas.

  Nikol, with flushed face, muttered something unintelligible and backedslowly away.

  Then the king thanked each member of the party separately. Even Stubbsseemed somewhat abashed by the king's manner.

  Later Colonel Anderson mentioned the gold they had brought and it was alldeposited--fifteen bags of the precious metal--before the king.

  "Again I thank you," said the monarch. "You may make sure that this goldwill be used where it will do the most good."

  A few moments later the king signified that the audience was at an end.As they passed out he spoke a final word:

  "If, at any time, there is anything I am able to do for any of you, youhave but to command me."

  All bowed low.

  "One moment," said the king as they were about to withdraw, "have youquarters?"

  "No, sire," returned Colonel Anderson.

  The king spoke to the officer who attended him.

  "You will see that these gentlemen are provided with suitable quarters atonce," he commanded. "They are my guests."

  The officer saluted and motioned the others to follow him. Outside theywere turned over to a second officer, who escorted them to a tentsomewhat larger than the rest.

  "You will make this your quarters," said the officer. "I shall send youan orderly, and if at any time there is anything you require, you havebut to mention it to him."

  He saluted and departed.

  Left to themselves at last, Hal, Chester and the others looked about.The tent was fitted up comfortably, almost luxuriously. There were sevenor eight cots within and the tent had the appearance of having shelteredmen of note.

  "Style to this place, if you ask me," said Stubbs, "Makes a fellow wantto turn in and sleep a bit."

  "And that is just what we'll do," said Chester. "I'm tired out myself."

  "Same here," agreed Hal.

  Colonel Anderson and Nikol also announced that they were ready to seekrepose at any time, and after some further talk, all lay down and soonwere fast asleep.

  The sun was high in the heavens when Chester opened his eyes. He was upand dressed quickly. Glancing around, he saw that the others, with theexception of Stubbs, who had one eye open, were still fast asleep.

  "Guess I'll take a little trip by myself," the lad muttered.

  He moved toward the exit.

  "Wait a minute, there," Stubbs called, hopping out of his cot. "I'll gowith you."

  "How's that, Mr. Stubbs?" said Chester, pausing. "Why do you arise soearly? Thought you always stayed until last."

  "Don't you believe it," said the little man. "I like to sleep the same asthe next fellow, but when I have business on hand I attend to it first."

  "Business?" repeated Chester. "And what business have you on handthis morning?"

  "Got to get busy and get some news," was the reply. "I'm going to have alook about this camp, ask some questions, then do a little writing; afterwhich I'll hunt up the official censor and the rest of the gang and seewhat arrangements I can make toward getting my stuff sent through."

  "Then I'll go with you on your hunt," Chester decided. "Maybe I can geta few pointers. I might want to get into the newspaper business myselfsome day."

  "Don't," said Stubbs. "Take my advice and do anything else. Look at menow, I'm a fair example. Here I've been in this business for fifteenyears, and what has it got me, eh? I'll tell you. It's got me a chance toget out and get shot so that people over in the good old U.S.A. can read,with their morning cup of coffee, what is going on in this benightedland. And what do I get for it? Nothing."

  "And still, the excitement," said Chester.

  "Excitement?" echoed Stubbs. "Now I ask you, what do I want withexcitement? I can get all the excitement I want right back in New York.This is a long way to come looking for excitement."

  "Well, perh
aps so," Chester admitted, "but when you get back home youwill be able to tell people who want to know, more about this war thanthey could read in the _Gazette_."

  "So I can," Stubbs agreed, "but I wouldn't if these two by four censorsdidn't stick to their jobs so closely."

  The little man slapped on his hat and stalked from the tent, calling overhis shoulder:

  "Come on."

  Chester followed him.

  Outside, Stubbs made a straight line for the first line troops.

  "If you want to find out anything, you have got to get right where itis," he declared. "I could stay back here and ask questions, but I wantto see things for myself."

  Chester offered no objections.

  Suddenly the camp seemed to spring to life. Bugles blew shrilly, men camepouring out of the tents to form into ranks. Officers darted hither andthither, shouting hoarse commands. For a moment all seemed to beconfusion, but a moment later, in response to sharp commands, all becamequiet and orderly.

  "Something up," said Chester.

  Stubbs nodded.

  "An advance, I imagine," he said. "We'll see."

  He approached a gruff-looking officer of forbidding aspect and addressedhim in French.

  "Where to?" he asked.

  "To the attack," was the reply.

  At the same moment a bugle rang out. Others took it up. It was thecommand to advance.