kol.

"What are your sympathies in this war?" asked the lad quietly.

"My sympathies," was the reply, "I have kept locked up here," and Nikol
tapped his breast with one of his huge fingers. "But, now that my
conqueror requests me to talk, I will tell you. My sympathies are with
Montenegro; always have been and always will be."

"Good!" exclaimed Hal. "Then perhaps you can tell me something of the
Austrian sentiment in these mountains."

"The Austrian sympathy is very strong," was the reply. "Not so much here
as further north. Thousands of tribesmen there are only awaiting the
arrival of the Austrians to join their ranks. Some have joined already."

"And is there not danger for a man of your sympathies in these parts?"

The Albanian shrugged his shoulders.

"I have said," he replied, "that I keep my sympathies locked up here,"
and again he tapped his breast.

Hal was silent for a few moments, considering a plan that had come to
him. At length he turned to Stubbs.

"Will you ask your newly made friend," he said, "if he will join us? He
will be invaluable. He can lead us where we would go without question."

Stubbs grasped the situation instantly.

He put the question to the Albanian. For long minutes the man hesitated,
and then he, in turn, asked a question.

"You say that you are working in the interests of Montenegro?" he asked.

"I can give you my word," replied Stubbs soberly.

The dwarf extended a hand to Stubbs and looked him in the eye.

"Such men as you, such fighters as you, do not lie," he said gravely.

Stubbs blushed like a schoolboy as he extended a hand, which was
seized in a grip that brought tears to the little man's eyes. But he
bore the pain bravely, for he did not wish to lose caste in the eyes
of his new admirer.

"Come then," said Hal. "We'll pick up Colonel Edwards again and be
moving."

He led the way back to where the first shot had been fired and raised his
voice in a shout:

"All right, Edwards?"

"All right," was the reply.

"I've caught the enemy," explained Hal. "You can come from under cover."

He led the way to the road and a moment later Colonel Edwards
joined them.

"What have we here?" he exclaimed, after a glance at the dwarf.

"A guide," replied Hal; "the same being the man who fired at us, and also
Stubbs' own prisoner."

"Stubbs' prisoner?"

"Exactly. He captured him single-handed."

Colonel Edwards eyed Stubbs in the greatest surprise, until Hal expl