“And why will we come on the run?” Chester wanted to know.

“Bayonets behind,” returned Stubbs briefly.  “Rifles, revolvers and whatnots.  Oh, yes, we’ll—­”

“Stubbs,” said Hal severely, “you would be a kill-joy at any feast.  When it comes to plain, downright pessimism, you take the cake.  Your equal does not exist.”

“I’m glad to hear you say I’m good for something,” muttered Stubbs.

“Well, if a pessimist is good for anything, you come first always,” said Chester.

By this time the mountaineer had stabled their horses.  Colonel Edwards gave him a piece of money, and mumbling his thanks, the man moved away.

“Which way?” asked Colonel Anderson.

Colonel Edwards drew a small map from his pocket, which he consulted for some moments.

“About five miles straight along this mountain road,” he said at last.  “There we cross the Albanian frontier, and there, also, we part company, or some of us do.  Some of us will strike off to the right and the others to the left.  You know what his majesty said.  We would not learn much if we all went together.”

“True,” returned Hal.  “Well, let’s be moving.”

They trudged along the rough, hilly road at a fair gait; but the walking was difficult and it was almost two hours later that Colonel Edwards again called a halt at what appeared to be a fork in the mountain pass.

“We’ll split up here,” he said briefly.

“And how?” asked Chester.

“That’s up to you fellows.  Of course, I’ll take charge of one party, and I suppose Colonel Anderson should be entrusted with the other.”

“Of course,” said Chester.  “I’ll go with Colonel Anderson.  Hal and Stubbs can go with you.”

“One way as well as another,” was the reply.

And so it was decided.  There was a last handshake all around and the two parties went their separate ways—­Colonel Anderson and Chester taking the more level trail to the right, and Colonel Edwards, Hal and Stubbs moving off along the rough pass to the left, leading more abruptly upward.

CHAPTER V.

A shot from ambush.

Up, up and still up the road that Colonel Edwards, Hal and Stubbs had selected continued, winding first to the right and then to the left until all three had practically lost all sense of direction.  Hal mentioned this.

“Don’t know just where we are,” he said.

“No,” agreed Colonel Edwards.  “However, it doesn’t make much difference.  We’ll be around here for several days.  Chances are the sun will come out before we get ready to leave and then we can get our bearings.”

“Maybe there won’t be any sun,” said Stubbs.

“There you go again,” said Hal.  “Of course there’ll be a sun.  What’s the use of hunting trouble?”

“I’m not hunting trouble,” Stubbs disclaimed.  “I just said maybe there won’t be any sun.”