d the
rifle in his two hands. He gave a quick twist and jerked the weapon from
the hands of his opponent. The latter staggered back and his hand dropped
to his belt. But before he could draw a revolver, Ivan had raised his
newly won rifle and brought it down on the Bulgarian's head. The man
dropped inert without a sound.

Then Ivan picked Stubbs up bodily, deposited him in the tonneau of the
car and climbed in himself.

"We'd better get away from here," he said.

Quickly Hal resumed his seat and threw off the clutch. The automobile
dashed forward again.

Ivan turned to Stubbs.

"Why all this bloodthirstiness, Mr. Stubbs?" he demanded in surprise.

"I'm getting tired of all this nonsense," replied Stubbs. "I want to get
out of this country. I want to get back home where there is no
war--where men are not killing each other off by the thousands. I'm a
peaceable man and I'm going back to a peaceable country if I have to
fight to get there."

Nikol the dwarf now extended a hand to Stubbs.

"You are a brave man, sir," he exclaimed. "Not many are there who would
have attacked a man who held a rifle pointed at his breast. You are a
brave man, sir."

Unthinkingly, Stubbs clasped the hand and a moment later gave a
howl of pain.

"Hey! Leggo my hand!" he cried. "Ouch!"

Nikol released Stubbs' hand with a murmured apology, while Stubbs felt
the injured right member tenderly with his left and turned an aggrieved
eye on Nikol, but he said nothing.

Suddenly the car slowed down. Those in the rear seat glanced ahead and
the reason for the abrupt slackening of speed became apparent.

Coming toward them at a rapid trot was a squadron of Bulgarian cavalry,
blocking the road.

Hal turned to the Bulgarian officer between him and Chester and
said quietly:

"Now it's up to you. Remember, I've got my gun ready and at the first
false move I'll put a bullet through you."

The captain in command of the cavalry squadron gave a sharp command and
his men drew rein while the officer came forward. He glanced at the
colonel in the automobile and saluted.

"Oh, it's you, sir," he said. "Have you seen anything of the fugitives?"

The Bulgarian felt the pressure of Hal's revolver in his back.

"No," he said.

The captain saluted and would have passed on, but Hal instructed his
prisoner to ask:

"How far are we from the Greek frontier?"

"Less than a mile," was the answer. "There is but one more body of our
troops between he