aid it needed more incision. West and Miss
Brindley went off with him.

An old ragamuffin wandered up with a loaf of maize bread. He offered it
to the corporal for three dinars; but the corporal took it away and gave
him two. The old man made a great outcry. We demanded the cause. The
unlawful corporal was again hailed to justice, his corporalship seeming
more valueless than ever, and to give him a lesson we bought the bread
for three dinars, for it was worth it.

We suddenly discovered that none of the Red Cross men had papers or
passes. What was to be done? We were conniving at an almost unlawful
expedition, and Jan was very doubtful if we could cross the Montenegrin
frontier. But after a consultation we decided to bluff it into
Montenegro if necessary, and then telegraph to Cettinje to help us out.

It was now dark and West and Miss Brindley had not come back. So Jan and
Jo went off to look for them. We searched two cafes--meeting again with
our old acquaintance the schoolmaster from Nish--plunged into all sorts
of odd corners, and at last met Colonel Stajitch in a restaurant. He
greeted us.

"I have a great favour to ask," he said diffidently. "If I might I
should like to give to you a little appendix. It is my son. He is
seventeen, but is very big for his age. If the Austrians catch him I do
not know what will become of him."

We were introduced to the boy, and at once consented.

"I will decide for certain to-morrow," said the colonel. "Can I meet you
at seven o'clock?"

We hunted once more for West. Ran him to earth at last in the Hotel de
Paris. This hotel could perhaps have existed in the Butte de Montmartre,
but even there it would have been considered a disgrace. We had to pass
through a long room crammed with sleeping soldiery, stepping across them
to get to the door opposite. Every window was tight shut, and after one
horrified gulp we held our breath till we reached the interior
courtyard. Here, too, were sleeping men, and all along the balconies and
passages were more.

We found Holmes' room. West was there, rather white and just recovering
from the anaesthetic. We sat down. Dr. Holmes had thought of coming with
us, but the authorities had looked suspiciously at his passes, which
were made out to Mitrovitza, so he decided to go on there. We wished
that he had come, as a doctor would have been a great comfort had we
really needed him.

After a rest West was well enough to go back to the camp.