“I’m getting tired of all this nonsense,” replied Stubbs.  “I want to get out of this country.  I want to get back home where there is no war—­where men are not killing each other off by the thousands.  I’m a peaceable man and I’m going back to a peaceable country if I have to fight to get there.”

Nikol the dwarf now extended a hand to Stubbs.

“You are a brave man, sir,” he exclaimed.  “Not many are there who would have attacked a man who held a rifle pointed at his breast.  You are a brave man, sir.”

Unthinkingly, Stubbs clasped the hand and a moment later gave a howl of pain.

“Hey!  Leggo my hand!” he cried.  “Ouch!”

Nikol released Stubbs’ hand with a murmured apology, while Stubbs felt the injured right member tenderly with his left and turned an aggrieved eye on Nikol, but he said nothing.

Suddenly the car slowed down.  Those in the rear seat glanced ahead and the reason for the abrupt slackening of speed became apparent.

Coming toward them at a rapid trot was a squadron of Bulgarian cavalry, blocking the road.

Hal turned to the Bulgarian officer between him and Chester and said quietly: 

“Now it’s up to you.  Remember, I’ve got my gun ready and at the first false move I’ll put a bullet through you.”

The captain in command of the cavalry squadron gave a sharp command and his men drew rein while the officer came forward.  He glanced at the colonel in the automobile and saluted.

“Oh, it’s you, sir,” he said.  “Have you seen anything of the fugitives?”

The Bulgarian felt the pressure of Hal’s revolver in his back.

“No,” he said.

The captain saluted and would have passed on, but Hal instructed his prisoner to ask: 

“How far are we from the Greek frontier?”

“Less than a mile,” was the answer.  “There is but one more body of our troops between here and a strong force of Greeks, which is patrolling the border.”

The two Bulgarians saluted each other and the troop separated to make a path for the automobile.

“Another close shave for all of us,” said Chester, when they had passed by.  “You, too,” he said to the Bulgarian.  “You’d have been a goner if you had sought to give the alarm.”

A few minutes later Hal made out another body of troops blocking the road.  He reduced the speed of the car and spoke to the others.

“The last barrier to freedom,” he said.  “Be ready to duck down in the car.  I am going to take no more chances with our prisoner here.  He is likely to take this last chance to betray us.  The troops are drawn up on both sides of the road.  I am going to make a dash for it.”

There was no reply, but Hal had expected none.

The car approached the troops slowly and seemed about to stop.

The Bulgarians moved to one side, thinking to surround the machine when it had come to a halt.