of Stubbs.

After a five-minute walk through the dark woods, the big Cossack wheeled
sharply to the left, and walking swiftly for perhaps fifty yards drew up
before what appeared to be a solid rock.

Looking closer in the darkness, however, Hal saw a slight opening at the
bottom, the space between the rock and the ground being perhaps three
feet. The rock, apparently, rested upon more solid ground farther back.

"Follow me," said the big man again.

He dropped on his hands and knees and wriggled through the opening.

At this point Stubbs manifested a desire to leave the others in
the lurch.

"Say!" he exclaimed. "You're not going to get me under there. How do you
know what he may have in mind to do to us?"

"Come, Stubbs," said Hal. "Don't be a quitter all the time. Nothing is
going to hurt--"

Before he could finish his sentence he felt himself seized in a powerful
grip from behind. He twisted about with an effort and looked down upon
the scowling face of Nikol.

"Here! What's the matter?" he cried.

The dwarf grinned at him evilly, and still retaining his hold, gazed
at Stubbs.

"He insulted you," he said. "What shall I do with him?"

"Great Scott! Let him down!" exclaimed the little man, anxiously. "He
didn't do anything to me."

"But he insulted you," protested Nikol. "I heard him say--"

"Oh, that was just in fun," cried Stubbs. "Let him go."

The dwarf's hold relaxed and Hal jumped away.

"Don't try any of that on me again," he said, facing Nikol angrily. He
turned to Stubbs. "You just instruct this fellow to keep his hands off
me, or I shall have to take my gun to him."

"Oh, he didn't mean any harm," Stubbs protested.

"Maybe he didn't and maybe he did," replied Hal. "At any rate, I don't
like that kind of treatment. You tell him what I said."

"He was just sticking up for me," said Stubbs, aggrievedly. "But I'll
tell him."

He did so, but the dwarf said nothing.

At this juncture the big Cossack poked his head from beneath the rock.

"Are you coming in here or not?" he demanded in a gruff voice.

"Coming," said Hal, dropping to his knees.

"Look here, Hal," said Stubbs, "I don't like the looks of this place.
Maybe we had better stay outside."

"Nonsense," Edwards spoke up at this point. "The man means us no harm."

Hal had disappeared beneath the rock and Edwards dropped to his knees and
crawled after him.

"Well," said Stubbs to himself, "I don't like this, but I guess I migh