and asked us to lunch behind
the trenches under a canopy of boughs.

While lunch was being prepared he took us round his artillery, and into
his observation station on the top of a crooked tree. Below us we could
see the river Dreina--on the other side of which was Gorazhda, held by
the Austrians--and the fortified hills behind.

It seemed impossible that this wide peaceful scene was menacing with a
threat of death, yet at intervals one could hear a faint "pop! pop!" as
though far-away giants were holding feast and opening great champagne
bottles. Away in the hills could be seen an encampment of white tents,
which caused a mild excitement, for they had not been there the day
before, and we were told that they were quite out of range.

During lunch the youngest Voukotitch tempted the major--who was in
splendid mood--suggesting that it was rather tame to go home after
having come within mere bowing distance of the Austrians, and that a few
stray bullets would not incommode us.

The major saw reason fairly quickly, so we bestrode our horses again and
continued our switchback course. At an open space where the Austrians
could shoot at us if they wished we had to plunge down the hill quickly,
keeping a distance of one hundred yards from each other.

The little Shadow prudently got off his horse and used its body as a
shield.

We banged at the door of a cottage, and a young lieutenant came out;
somebody said he was nineteen and a hero.

[Illustration: SERB AND MONTENEGRIN OFFICERS ON THE DRINA.]

[Illustration: A CONCEALED GUN EMPLACEMENT ON THE DRINA.]

Here we left our horses and began to scramble through brambles along a
narrow path, climbing up the back of a little hill on the crest of which
were the machine guns. Just before we got to the top we plunged into a
tunnel which bored through the hill; at the end was the gun. The hero
scrambled in, wriggled the gun about and explained. He invited Jo to
shoot. She squashed past him; there was a knob at the back of the gun
on which she pressed her thumbs, and she immediately wanted another pair
with which to stop her ears. The gun jammed suddenly. The hero pulled
the belt about, and Jo set it going once more.

The Austrian machine guns answered back and kept this up, so Jo pressed
the knob again and yet again. Then we got into the trenches above.
Whenever Jo popped her head over the trenches for a good look there were
faint reports from the mountain opposite. One or