home.

Out of revolver shot, Hal and Chester drew up their horses to take stock.

"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 re