Part 13 (1/2)
”I didn't mean to hurt you too much,” he said. ”You see, sometimes I don't realize my own strength. I guess maybe I squeezed your arms too hard.”
”Well, now tell us about yourself, Hal,” said Chester, ”and who is this little fellow who hangs so close to Stubbs?”
”This little fellow,” returned Hal, ”has appointed himself Stubbs' best friend. Stubbs overcame him in fair fight this afternoon and he thinks Stubbs is a great man.”
”Well, what's the matter?” Stubbs broke in. ”Don't you?”
”Of course,” Hal hastened to a.s.sure him.
Stubbs subsided grumbling.
”The question now is,” Colonel Edwards declared, ”what are we going to do? There is no use staying here longer than we can possibly help. We had better be moving.”
”Hold on,” shouted Ivan, jumping suddenly to his feet. ”Tell me what it is you are going to do? Perhaps I may lend a hand. I know something of these mountains.”
Colonel Edwards glanced at Hal. The boy nodded.
”Might be a good idea,” he said.
Then Colonel Edwards explained. Ivan heard him patiently.
”Well,” he said at length, ”nothing would please me more than to join this expedition.” He spoke to Hal. ”You have told me of the service rendered the Czar by my brother Alexis. I am ashamed that I have been idling here in these mountains while my country needs me. I shall try and make up for it in the future. Now, I believe I can tell you what you want to know.”
”Then,” asked Colonel Edwards, ”is there a strong Austrian sentiment among the Albanians?”
”Until a month ago there was little Austrian sentiment,” returned Ivan, ”But recently there has been a change, and the change I lay at the door of a single man.”
”An Albanian?”
”It is even worse than that. The man is a Montenegrin. And still worse.
He bears the same name as the king of Montenegro, Nicolas. He has, most likely, another name, but I do not know it.”
”But why should a Montenegrin seek to raise the enmity of the Albanians against his own people?” Chester demanded.
”There is but one reason--gold,” said Ivan simply.
”And his methods?” inquired Colonel Anderson.
”More gold,” was the reply.
”I see,” said Colonel Anderson. ”Furnished by the Austrians, eh?”
”How else? I have had several interviews with this Nicolas. He seems to think I could be of use to him. In fact, he has made me offers. But while I have taken no part in active fighting, although I admit I have neglected my own country, I have not fallen low enough for that sort of work. However, I did not tell Nicolas that. I temporized with him and I suppose he believes he can win me over if he cares to make his offer tempting enough.”
”All this,” said Hal slowly, ”suggests a plan.”
”Well?” said Chester, expectantly.
”And by this plan of mine,” Hal continued, ”we may accomplish even more than we set out to do.”
”Explain, Hal,” said Colonel Anderson.