The Boy Allies in the Balkan Campaign | Page 4

an effort to effect their escape.
It was a daring adventure, but after a fight and chase, the four had managed to seize the airship in which we now find them and had at last fought their way clear. They had then held a council of war and decided that it was best to head for the Balkans, rather than to run the gauntlet of the Austrian flying craft which kept constant vigil in the direction of the Italian lines.
Hal and Chester, typical American lads, were large and strong for their ages, which were within a year of each other, seventeen and eighteen now. In the rough lumber camps of the north, the two had had considerable experience in the use of firearms and the art of self-defense--fists. Also, during the school term each had practiced the use of the sword until, though by no means experts, they could give a fair account of themselves with this weapon--as each had done more than once.
Fortunately, both lads had made a study of languages and spoke French and German fluently. They never had trouble on that score.
The great war up to this point had not gone as successfully as the Entente Allies had hoped in the early days. The German lines on all fronts were seemingly stronger than ever before. Even the entrance of Italy into the war on the side of the Allies had failed to turn the balance, as it had been confidently expected it would. East and west, the German lines held, while in the Balkans the enemy was even now advancing against the heroic little Serbian army, which, before many days, was to be forced to relinquish its country to the iron heel of the invader. Montenegro, the smallest factor in the war, still was fighting hard--the rugged and gigantic mountaineers giving a good account of themselves upon all sides.
This was the situation, then, as the airship containing Colonel Anderson, British officer, Anthony Stubbs, American war correspondent, and Hal Paine and Chester Crawford sped southward over Austria.
Several hours after the sinking of the Austrian aeroplane Chester spoke.
"Where do you suppose we are now, Hal?" he asked.
"I believe we must have crossed the frontier," replied Hal. "However, we'll wait another half hour before descending to have a look."
The half hour up, Hal sent the airship lower and lower. Soon, a faint gray speck below became visible, assuming larger and larger proportions, until all aboard made out the ground beneath.
And then, half a mile ahead, a body of troops were seen. Hal checked the speed of the craft immediately.
"Don't know who they are," he explained. "We'll be careful. They may be all right and then again they may not be."
He sent the machine higher again and a few minutes later the craft hung directly above the troops below.
"I can't make out those uniforms," declared Chester.
"Nor I," said Hal. "However, they are not Austrian, I can see that. We'll take a chance and go down."
Again the machine moved closer toward the earth, and a few minutes later came to rest upon the ground a short distance from the main body of troops. A squad of men, let by an officer, came hurriedly forward, covering the four friends with their rifles.
"By Jove!" exclaimed Colonel Anderson. "You must have miscalculated a bit, Hal. I recognize them now."
"Well, who are they?" demanded the lad.
"Montenegrins."
"Good," cried Chester. "Then we are among friends."
The four friends raised their hands in token of surrender as the officer and his men came toward them. A few paces away, the officer halted and addressed them.
Hal shook his head.
"Can't understand that lingo," he exclaimed.
He addressed the officer in English and the officer also indicated that he could not understand.
"Don't want to tackle him in German if I can help it," said Hal. "It might not suit him."
"Well, what's the matter with French?" Chester wanted to know.
"Nothing, I guess," returned Hal. "I'll try him. We are British officers," he said, addressing the Montenegrin officer, "and we have just escaped from the Austrians."
The Montenegrin understood and replied in broken French:
"How am I to know you are not of the enemy?"
"Well, I don't know, to tell the truth," Hal replied with a pleasant smile. "I am afraid it does look a little bad for us, as we have nothing to prove our identities. But if you have a British or French officer about here, perhaps we can convince him."
The Montenegrin nodded.
"Fortunately, we have," he said. He ordered one of his men to summon Colonel Edwards.
"By Jove!" said Anderson. "I know an Edwards. I wonder can it be the same?"
"No such luck, I am afraid," said Chester.
But it was; and a few moments later Colonel Edwards and Colonel Anderson were shaking hands affectionately.
CHAPTER III.
THE KING OF THE MONTENEGRINS.
With his hand upon Edwards' arm, Colonel Anderson approached