The Boy Allies in the Balkan Campaign | Page 9

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."
Hal threw up both hands in a gesture of dismay.
"You're beyond hope," he declared.
After what seemed like hours of climbing, though in reality it was not
more than two at the most, the three reached what apparently was the
top of the mountain, and the road stretched out level ahead of them,
heavily shaded on both sides with trees.
"Nice place for a fellow to hide and shoot a man," said Stubbs almost
cheerfully.
Hal just looked at the little man but said nothing. Edwards grinned.
"Real cheerful little fellow, aren't you?" he said dryly.

Stubbs grinned back at him.
"I just said--" he began.
"We heard you," interrupted Hal.
The three trudged along silently for a few moments. Then, coming to a
place where the trees crowded the road even closer and the branches
hung low across their path, Stubbs again broke the silence.
"An assassin--" he began.
The interruption this time came from another source.
The little man's hat suddenly leaped from his head. There was the low
whine of a bullet and a rifle cracked from the woods on the left.
Stubbs threw himself to the ground almost before his hat settled near
him and he gave a loud cry.
"Help!"
Startled though they were by the unexpectedness of the attack, Colonel
Edwards and Hal acted promptly. A revolver flashed in the hand of
each and both fired into the woods toward the point from which the
shot had come. Then they leaped for shelter among the trees that lined
the road on the right. Stubbs, for the moment forgotten, still lay in the
road and seemed to be attempting to bury his head in the dirt.
Hal, now sheltered by trees, perceived the little man's plight.
"Can't leave him there," he called to Edwards. "Cover me if you can."
Edwards nodded and held his revolver ready.
Hal dashed quickly from his shelter, grasped Stubbs by the right arm,
jerked him violently to his feet and turned his face toward the woods on
the right.

Stubbs seemed too frightened to realize in what direction lay safety,
and breaking from Hal's hold, whirled about