MR. STUBBS EASES HIS MIND.
The remainder of the journey to Cettinje was without incident. After the
defeat of the mountaineers the lads felt safe, for they were once more
within the borders of Montenegro and were unlikely, they knew, to
encounter other enemies.
Stubbs, when informed of the death of Colonel Edwards, was greatly
grieved.
"Poor fellow," he said, and added after a pause: "There is no use
talking, Hal, this is no life for any one. He's likely to be snuffed out
at 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 Albanian
mountains, Hal now had the two he had taken from the body of Colonel
Edwards. The two Nicolas had carried had been left with him, for there
had been no time to get them. Stubbs had held on to the two entrusted to
him, 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 sooner
or later."
And the lad was right.
It was dark when the little party came again within the first line of
Montenegrin troops. Colonel Anderson announced that he would seek an
audience of King Nicholas immediately. He made his wants known to the
officer of the guard, and after he had explained the situation, the
officer departed to learn whether the king would see the returned
travelers. He returned fifteen minutes later with the announcement that
the king would receive them in his field quarters immediately.
As they started for the monarch's quarters, Stubbs and Nikol both
hung back.
"Come on now, Mr. Stubbs," said Chester. "The king will be as glad to see
you as any of the rest of us."
"I'm not much used to kings," Stubbs protested. "Besides, this is none of
my 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 thing
for the _New York Gazette_."
"By Jove! you're right there," Stubbs agreed. "I must be a great
newspaper man to have overlooked a thing like that. If my boss knew it
I'd get fired. I'll go along."
Still Nikol hung back, and it took considerable coaxing before he
consented to go; and then it took Stubbs to clinch matters.
"Look here, now," he said, eyeing Nikol sternly, "I took you for a brave
man. 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 to
show King Nicholas I'm not afraid of him. Come on."
He took the dwarf by the arm and the latter moved along grumbling
to 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 single
orderly. 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 his
superior rank, stepped forward and replied quietly:
"He is dead, sire."
The king took a step backward and passed a trembling hand across his
brow. He was silent for some moments before replying.
"Dead! One more victim of the Kaiser's militarism. Tell me, how
did he die?"
Colonel Anderson explained quietly and briefly. Then, at the king's
request, he went into the details of the journey; and when he had
concluded, King Nicholas expressed his deep thanks for the service each
member 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 the
dwarf, "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, Nikol
approached. The king extended a hand, and Nikol bent one knee and put his
lips to the hand.
"I thank you," said King Nicholas.
Nikol, with flushed face, muttered something unintelligible and backed
slowly away.
Then the king thanked each member of the party separately. Even Stubbs
seemed somewhat abashed by the king's manner.
Later Colonel Anderson mentioned the gold they had brought and it was all
deposited--fifteen bags of the precious metal--before the king.
"Again I thank you," said the monarch. "You may make sure that this gold
will 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, you
have but to command me."
All bowed low.
"One moment," said the king as they were about to withdraw, "have you
quarters?"
"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 at
once," he commanded. "They are my guests."
The officer saluted and motioned the others to follow him. Outside they
were turned over to a second officer, who escorted them to a tent
somewhat larger than the rest.
"You will make this your quarters," said the officer. "I shall send you
an orderly, and if at any time there is anything you require, you have
but 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 seven
or eight cots within and the tent had the appearance of having sheltered
men of note.
"Style to this place, if you ask me," said Stubbs, "Makes a fellow want
to 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 seek
repose at any time, and after some further talk, all lay down and soon
were fast asleep.
The sun was high in the heavens when Chester opened his eyes. He was up
and dressed quickly. Glancing around, he saw that the others, with the
exception 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 go
with you."
"How's that, Mr. Stubbs?" said Chester, pausing. "Why do you arise so
early? Thought you always stayed until last."
"Don't you believe it," said the little man. "I like to sleep the same as
the next fellow, but when I have business on hand I attend to it first."
"Business?" repeated Chester. "And what business have you on hand
this morning?"
"Got to get busy and get some news," was the reply. "I'm going to have a
look about this camp, ask some questions, then do a little writing; after
which I'll hunt up the official censor and the rest of the gang and see
what arrangements I can make toward getting my stuff sent through."
"Then I'll go with you on your hunt," Chester decided. "Maybe I can get
a few pointers. I might want to get into the newspaper business myself
some day."
"Don't," said Stubbs. "Take my advice and do anything else. Look at me
now, I'm a fair example. Here I've been in this business for fifteen
years, and what has it got me, eh? I'll tell you. It's got me a chance to
get 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 benighted
land. 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 with
excitement? I can get all the excitement I want right back in New York.
This is a long way to come looking for excitement."
"Well, perhaps so," Chester admitted, "but when you get back home you
will be able to tell people who want to know, more about this war than
they could read in the _Gazette_."
"So I can," Stubbs agreed, "but I wouldn't if these two by four censors
didn't stick to their jobs so closely."
The little man slapped on his hat and stalked from the tent, calling over
his 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 it
is," he declared. "I could stay back here and ask questions, but I want
to see things for myself."
Chester offered no objections.
Suddenly the camp seemed to spring to life. Bugles blew shrilly, men came
pouring out of the tents to form into ranks. Officers darted hither and
thither, shouting hoarse commands. For a moment all seemed to be
confusion, but a moment later, in response to sharp commands, all became
quiet 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 addressed
him 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 the
command to advance.