NEW FRIENDS.
The big man paused and turned an enquiring eye upon Hal, whom he could
dimly perceive in the darkness.
"Alexis!" he echoed. "What of him? How do you know I have a
brother Alexis?"
Hal replied rapidly in the Russian dialect which he had picked up during
his service with the Cossacks, as told in the story of "The Boy Allies
With the Cossacks," while the man listened intently. Then the giant set
the dwarf upon his feet remarking:
"Now, you just stay there a little while. I may have more to say to you
later, but right now I would know something of my brother Alexis, whom I
have not seen in years. And my brother Stephan, also, what do you know of
him?" he demanded of Hal.
The lad shook his head.
"Not much," he said. "But come, we'll find some spot where we can make a
fire and I'll tell you what I know of Alexis."
"Good," boomed the big man. "Follow me."
Without another word he turned on his heel and strode away whence he
had come. The other four followed him, Nikol the while muttering
angrily to himself.
Stubbs turned upon him suddenly.
"What's the matter with you?" he demanded. "Don't you know it's cold
here? I want to sit by the fire awhile. Keep still."
The dwarf made no reply, but became silent. It was plain enough that he
stood very much in awe of Stubbs.
After a five-minute walk through the dark woods, the big Cossack wheeled
sharply to the left, and walking swiftly for perhaps fifty yards drew up
before what appeared to be a solid rock.
Looking closer in the darkness, however, Hal saw a slight opening at the
bottom, the space between the rock and the ground being perhaps three
feet. The rock, apparently, rested upon more solid ground farther back.
"Follow me," said the big man again.
He dropped on his hands and knees and wriggled through the opening.
At this point Stubbs manifested a desire to leave the others in
the lurch.
"Say!" he exclaimed. "You're not going to get me under there. How do you
know what he may have in mind to do to us?"
"Come, Stubbs," said Hal. "Don't be a quitter all the time. Nothing is
going to hurt--"
Before he could finish his sentence he felt himself seized in a powerful
grip from behind. He twisted about with an effort and looked down upon
the scowling face of Nikol.
"Here! What's the matter?" he cried.
The dwarf grinned at him evilly, and still retaining his hold, gazed
at Stubbs.
"He insulted you," he said. "What shall I do with him?"
"Great Scott! Let him down!" exclaimed the little man, anxiously. "He
didn't do anything to me."
"But he insulted you," protested Nikol. "I heard him say--"
"Oh, that was just in fun," cried Stubbs. "Let him go."
The dwarf's hold relaxed and Hal jumped away.
"Don't try any of that on me again," he said, facing Nikol angrily. He
turned to Stubbs. "You just instruct this fellow to keep his hands off
me, or I shall have to take my gun to him."
"Oh, he didn't mean any harm," Stubbs protested.
"Maybe he didn't and maybe he did," replied Hal. "At any rate, I don't
like that kind of treatment. You tell him what I said."
"He was just sticking up for me," said Stubbs, aggrievedly. "But I'll
tell him."
He did so, but the dwarf said nothing.
At this juncture the big Cossack poked his head from beneath the rock.
"Are you coming in here or not?" he demanded in a gruff voice.
"Coming," said Hal, dropping to his knees.
"Look here, Hal," said Stubbs, "I don't like the looks of this place.
Maybe we had better stay outside."
"Nonsense," Edwards spoke up at this point. "The man means us no harm."
Hal had disappeared beneath the rock and Edwards dropped to his knees and
crawled after him.
"Well," said Stubbs to himself, "I don't like this, but I guess I might
as well go along."
Motioning Nikol to follow him, he, too, dropped to all fours and crawled
slowly beneath the big rock.
Beyond the rock, a brisk fire made dimly visible what appeared to be a
large cavern. The fire seemed to be in the exact center of a large
underground room and beyond it Hal thought he could make out the mouths
of dark passageways that led off in several directions.
"Come up to the fire and get warm," the big Cossack invited.
The others accepted the invitation, first discarding their heavy outer
garments. When all appeared comfortable, the big Cossack spoke.
"Now," he said, addressing Hal, "tell me of Alexis. He is--"
"Dead," Hal interrupted quietly.
Ivan sprang to his feet.
"Dead!" he shouted. "And you dare to tell it to me? You, no doubt, had a
hand in his death!"
"On the contrary," returned the lad quietly, "I tried to save him, as
did my chum; but it was too late. But he died like a brave man and a
true Cossack."
Ivan was silent for several moments, and then said sneeringly:
"And what do you know of the Cossacks?"
"Well, very little, to be sure," Hal confessed, "though, for a short
time, I had the honor of serving in a Cossack regiment."
"What, you?" exclaimed Ivan incredulously. "Impossible."
"No; what I say is true," said Hal. "And it was there that I met your
brother Alexis, than whom I have never seen a braver man."
"'Tis true," muttered Ivan. "Alexis was ever a brave man, though much
given to boasting. Also, barring perhaps myself, he was the most powerful
man I have ever seen."
"He was indeed," replied Hal, "and it will give me pleasure at some time
to relate to you some of the remarkable feats I have seen him
accomplish."
"Alexis has related enough," returned Ivan dryly. "But come, now, tell me
what you know of him."
"Well," Hal began, "I met Alexis first--"
He stopped suddenly and listened attentively.
"What was that?" he demanded.
"What?" asked Edwards.
"I thought I heard a voice calling. Sounded like a cry for help."
Ivan broke into a loud laugh.
"Ho! Ho!" he cried. "Guess you heard my prisoners."
"Prisoners?" Hal repeated inquiringly.
"Yes. I came across them this afternoon. They sought to ply me with
questions. I treated them respectfully enough, but when they continued to
plague me, I just picked them up and brought them here. I have a
suspicion they may be Austrian spies and if there is one race of men for
whom I have no use, it is the Austrians. But they do not annoy you, do
they? If so, I shall go back and have a word with them. After that I
assure you they will annoy you no more."
"Oh, no," Hal hastened to say. "They do not annoy me in the slightest.
But what do you intend to do with them?"
"Well, I don't know exactly," returned Ivan. "You know I have read
somewhat, and I remember the things I have read. For instance now, I
would like to be like one of the old kings, or say even a present-day
American, of whom I have heard much. They have slaves and things. Why not
make my prisoners my slaves?"
"I assure you you are wrong about the Americans," said Hal. "I chance to
be one myself, so I know. Of kings, I cannot say."
"Never mind," said Ivan. "We'll attend to them later on. Right now I have
a desire to hear your story. Proceed."
Hal did so. He related his and Chester's first meeting with Alexis, the
big brave-hearted man who had once played an important part in their
lives, as related in "The Boy Allies With the Cossacks." He told of the
many exciting adventures the three had gone through together.
And as the lad progressed with his narrative, Ivan became more interested
with each word; and by the time Hal had come to an account of his
brother's last great fight, Ivan was on his feet, his face glowing.
"By St. George!" he cried. "I knew he could do it. Boaster or not, he was
a brave man. But go on. And after he had killed the three Germans there
on the sand, then what?"
"Why, then," said Hal, "a German bullet struck him in the right
shoulder; a moment later another lodged in his right side. But Alexis
did not pause. He rushed right into the thick of them, using his now
empty pistols and at last striking out with his bare fists. Men tumbled
on all sides.
"From behind and from both sides, the Germans darted at him, firing their
revolvers and stabbing him with the swords. By this time, we had finished
repairing our machine and we rushed to his aid, and for a moment the
Germans gave back. Then they closed in and we were all hard pressed.
Alexis was bleeding in a dozen places but he fought on. And then aid came
from an unexpected source."
"Where?" demanded Ivan excitedly.
"Troops," replied Hal. "Troops sent to protect the neutrality of the
country; and with their approach the Germans who were still upon their
feet fled. Chester and I dragged Alexis to our own craft and we also
ascended. There we did what we could for him, but he realized that he was
past aid, and he died as a brave man should. We buried him in England
with honor, and with him the Cross of St. George, personally bestowed
upon him by the Czar."
For a long time after the lad had finished, Ivan was silent. Then he
said, his fists clenching:
"I would I had been there! There would have been a different story to
tell!"
Hal was about to reply, but a voice sounded suddenly. Hal pricked up his
ears. Surely he recognized that voice. The cry came again.
"Chester!" shouted Hal, and sprang to his feet.