At this point Colonel Anderson stepped forward.

“If you please, your majesty,” he said, and hesitated.

“Speak, sir,” said the king.

“If you please, your majesty,” Colonel Anderson repeated, “it would give me, and my friends here, the utmost pleasure to be of some slight service to you.  With your permission, we shall offer our services to Colonel Edwards.”

A smile stole over the king’s rugged face.

“I have always said,” he declared, “that the British and the Americans come nearer to being like my own people than any others.  You have my permission, sir, for yourself and your friends, and I have no doubt of the success of the mission.”  He turned again to Colonel Edwards.  “You will make all possible haste?”

“What we may, with caution,” was the reply.

“Good.  Then I shall expect you back within the week.”

Again all bowed before the king and after a few words of farewell the Montenegrin monarch resumed his walk.

“Well, I feel better now,” declared Hal.  “We’ve got something to do, so we won’t feel as though we had no business here.”

“My sentiments, exactly,” agreed Chester.

“Well, they are not mine,” declared Stubbs.  “Say! what’s the matter with you fellows, anyhow?  Look at all the trouble we had finding a safe place to come down, and now you are running around looking for more trouble.  You are not going to get Anthony Stubbs into any Albanian mountains, I can tell you that.”

“You don’t have to go if you don’t want to, I’m sure,” said Colonel Anderson stiffly.  “I had no idea you were afraid.”

“Afraid!” echoed Stubbs.  “And why shouldn’t I be afraid, I ask you?  Why shouldn’t I be afraid, eh?  I don’t know anything about mountains.  I don’t know anything about mountaineers.  I don’t want to know anything about any of them.  All I want to do is—­”

“Get a little news for the New York Gazette,” Chester interrupted.

“Eh?” exclaimed Stubbs.  “What’s that?  News?  Sure, I’ve got to get some news.  By George!  Might be a good feature story up in those mountains.”  He turned to Colonel Edwards.  “Count me in on this little trip, will you?” he said.

Colonel Edwards hesitated.  He didn’t know Stubbs as well as the others.

“Well—­” he began.

“Oh, he’s all right, Colonel,” said Hal.  “It’s just his way.  He’s no coward.  He is no more afraid than you are.”

“Don’t you believe it, Colonel,” said Stubbs.  “I assure you I am scared to death.  But I am more afraid of losing my job with the New York Gazette than I am of these Albanian mountaineers, so if I go I am just choosing the lesser of two evils.  I want to go with you fellows.  But please remember one thing:  I’m no fighter.  If it comes to a fight, you can count me out; but if it’s a question of run—­well, you’ll find me with you, or far ahead.”

“Then if the others have no objections, I am sure that I shall be pleased to have you accompany us,” said Colonel Edwards.