“Any one hit?” demanded Hal.

There was no reply.

“All right,” said Hal, “we’ll move on again.”

Colonel Edwards, glancing to the rear at that moment, called: 

“Here they come!”

The others looked back.

It was true.  With loud shouts and waving their revolvers aloft, almost a dozen men galloped forward.

There came a cry of alarm from Stubbs, in the center of the little troop.

“Hey!  Let’s get away from here.”

He dug his heels into his horse’s ribs and dashed through the others.

“Spread out!” ordered Hal.  “We make too good a mark this way.”

The others obeyed this order, Ivan still keeping close behind Nicolas, and then Hal commanded: 

“Forward!”

They went forward at a rapid gallop.  The pursuers gave chase with wild yells, firing wildly as they did so.

CHAPTER XIII.

A sad Loss.

The leader of the flight was Anthony Stubbs.  He had covered considerable distance when the others started and was now well in advance.  The little man’s heels continued to dig at the ribs of the horse he bestrode, and the animal, snorting and with ears laid back, covered the ground in great bounds.

Hal and Chester, riding close to each other, kept an eye on the others; and after they had ridden perhaps half a mile, they perceived that Nicolas and Ivan were lagging behind.

“Nicolas is holding back!” shouted Chester.

Hal shook his head.

“His weight is too great for the horse,” Hal shouted back.  “Same with Ivan.”

This was plainly true and the lads saw that the pursuers were gaining on them.

Hal headed his horse diagonally across the road and slowed down a bit.  Chester followed suit.  Perceiving this movement, the others also checked the speed of their horses, all save Stubbs, who was now far ahead.

As Nicolas came abreast of Hal he suddenly leaned over his horse, and before the lad could realize what was up, he seized Hal’s revolver, which was in a holster at his side.  Hal grabbed for it too late.

With an evil light in his eye, the Montenegrin leveled the revolver directly at Hal and his finger tightened on the trigger.  But another brain had acted more quickly than Nicolas’.

Two sharp reports came almost together.  Hal felt a bullet brush past his ear.  Nicolas dropped suddenly from his horse.  Turning, Hal gazed into the calm face of Nikol and in the dwarf’s hand was a smoking revolver.  He had whipped out his revolver and fired in the nick of time.

Hal realized that he owed his life to the dwarf and he smiled at him slightly.

A quick look at the prostrate form of Nicolas showed that he was beyond human aid, and Hal also realized the need of haste, as the pursuers were even now within range and bullets whined about the fugitives.