“I want you to meet my two young friends,” he said.

Colonel Edwards shook hands with each lad in turn and then turned to Stubbs, who, during all this time, had been standing quietly, while he cast a critical eye upon the Montenegrin troopers who stood near.

“A likely looking bunch of men,” he muttered to himself.  “I’ll bet they could give a good account of themselves in a—­”

He faced about just in time to acknowledge Colonel Anderson’s introduction to Colonel Edwards; then turned again to survey the mountaineers.

“Good fighters, these,” he said to himself, “or I miss my guess.”

“Now,” said Hal to Colonel Edwards, “there is really no use of our standing here.  I’d like to look up a place where I can turn in for a few winks.  I’m dead tired and I imagine the rest of you are, too.”

Chester seconded Hal’s motion and Colonel Anderson admitted his own fatigue.  Stubbs settled the matter.

“Where there are men there are beds,” he said; “or at least cots, or pallets, or something.  I’m going to find one.”

He moved toward a row of tents in the distance.

“Hold on there,” said Chester.  “We’re all going, Stubbs.”

In the meantime Colonel Edwards had been holding a consultation with the Montenegrin officer who had first accosted the friends.

“I am sure that if you vouch for them they are all right,” said the Montenegrin.

“Thanks,” said Edwards.  “Then, with your permission, I shall conduct them to my own quarters.”

“And you may also make free with mine,” said the other.

Again Colonel Edwards expressed his thanks, in which the others joined, and then he led the way toward the distant tents.

Fifteen minutes later the four friends were sleeping soundly, with never a care in the world, for it had been long since they had closed their eyes and they were completely worn out.

Darkness shrouded the small tent when Hal opened his eyes.  It was several moments before the lad could gain his bearings, but when at last he realized just where he was he bethought himself of the others.

“Still sleeping, I guess,” he said.

He arose, moved to the door of the tent and passed out.  A steady rumbling sound fell upon his ears and Hal, momentarily, was unable to account for it.  But the solution soon came to him.

“Troops moving,” he told himself.

He was right.  Walking some distance from the tent, he made out, probably half a mile away, the dark forms of many men as they marched swiftly on in the darkness, their figures lighted up ever and anon by the gleam of a flashlight.  But the camp in which the lad stood was perfectly quiet.

“Now I wonder—­” he muttered—­gazed silently ahead a moment and then turned back toward the tent, saying to himself:  “Guess I’ll wake the others up.”

Chester and Colonel Anderson were aroused without much trouble.  Not so Stubbs.