CHAPTER XIII.
A SAD LOSS.
The leader of the flight was Anthony Stubbs. He had covered considerable distance when the others started and was now well in advance. The little man's heels continued to dig at the ribs of the horse he bestrode, and the animal, snorting and with ears laid back, covered the ground in great bounds.
Hal and Chester, riding close to each other, kept an eye on the others; and after they had ridden perhaps half a mile, they perceived that Nicolas and Ivan were lagging behind.
"Nicolas is holding back!" shouted Chester.
Hal shook his head.
"His weight is too great for the horse," Hal shouted back. "Same with Ivan."
This was plainly true and the lads saw that the pursuers were gaining on them.
Hal headed his horse diagonally across the road and slowed down a bit. Chester followed suit. Perceiving this movement, the others also checked the speed of their horses, all save Stubbs, who was now far ahead.
As Nicolas came abreast of Hal he suddenly leaned over his horse, and before the lad could realize what was up, he seized Hal's revolver, which was in a holster at his side. Hal grabbed for it too late.
With an evil light in his eye, the Montenegrin leveled the revolver directly at Hal and his finger tightened on the trigger. But another brain had acted more quickly than Nicolas'.
Two sharp reports came almost together. Hal felt a bullet brush past his ear. Nicolas dropped suddenly from his horse. Turning, Hal gazed into the calm face of Nikol and in the dwarf's hand was a smoking revolver. He had whipped out his revolver and fired in the nick of time.
Hal realized that he owed his life to the dwarf and he smiled at him slightly.
A quick look at the prostrate form of Nicolas showed that he was beyond human aid, and Hal also realized the need of haste, as the pursuers were even now within range and bullets whined about the fugitives.
"Forward!" he cried.
Again they set off at a gallop.
Ten minutes later Hal again noticed that Ivan was lagging behind. He drew his horse down until Ivan came up with him. A moment later Colonel Edwards also dropped back on even terms with them.
"Go ahead. Don't wait for me," shouted Ivan.
Hal shook his head slightly, as did Colonel Edwards.
"I tell you, it's no use," said Ivan. "This horse can't carry me much farther. Ride on!"
The others paid no heed.
Suddenly Ivan drew rein, pulling his horse back on his haunches, and leaped lightly to the ground. Then, before the others realized his intention, he drew his revolvers and faced the pursuers.
Quickly Hal and Colonel Edwards checked their horses, wheeled about and hurried back to him.
"You are fools!" said Ivan hoarsely. "There is no need for all of us to die. I could have held them off until the rest of you were safe. It is not too late yet. Ride on!"
For answer Hal leaped lightly to the ground and Colonel Edwards followed suit. The latter produced two revolvers and Hal one, for his other still lay beside the body of Nicolas.
"Into the woods here, quick!" Hal commanded.
The others obeyed him; and they moved from their perilous positions not a moment too soon, for the pursuers had found the range and revolver bullets whistled about them as they darted for shelter.
Ahead, Chester now discovered that the others had stopped. He checked his own horse, and calling to Colonel Anderson and Nikol, wheeled about and dashed down the road, the others following.
Chester allowed the reins to fall loose on his horse's neck and in each hand glistened a revolver. Colonel Anderson and Nikol were also prepared.
Some distance beyond where Hal, Colonel Edwards and Ivan had dismounted, the pursuers had drawn rein; and now Chester, Colonel Anderson and Nikol charged right at them.
In spite of their numbers, the pursuers, after one hasty volley, turned and fled as the three charged down upon them. The three fired once each at the foe and one man dropped. Then they checked their horses, dismounted and made their way into the woods, where they joined the others.
"Well," said Chester. "Here we are. Now what?"
"I don't know," said Hal. "We might push on through the woods, leaving the horses here, or we might wait until dark and make another break. We can probably lose our pursuers some way."
"I should say the latter is the better plan," said Colonel Edwards. "If Ivan will start first, we can come on an hour later. We can protect his flight. Because of his great weight his horse cannot keep up with the rest of us."
Ivan protested. He didn't want to go and leave the others behind. But at last he agreed.
"Then I can see no reason for waiting until dark," said Chester. "Let Ivan mount now and make a break for it. We can cover him. They won't get by us. An hour later we can start."
After some further discussion, this plan was adopted; and grumbling somewhat, Ivan mounted in the shelter of the trees. When the Cossack was ready, Hal peered out. A short distance back he could see the pursuers and his appearance drew a shot. But the men were too far away to aim with any degree of accuracy and the shot went wild.
"All right, Ivan," the lad said. "Go!"
The big Cossack dug his heels into his horse's ribs and with a shout dashed out into the road.
There was an answering shout from behind and the thundering of horses' hoofs told those among the trees that the enemy was on the advance.
"We'll have to stop 'em!" cried Hal. "Aim carefully now."
They waited until the riders were close and then stepped into the open.
"Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack!"
The revolvers of the six friends spoke as one. Two of the approaching horsemen reeled in their saddles, then toppled to the ground. Two more dropped their weapons and uttered loud cries. The pursuers beat a hasty retreat.
"Guess that will give Ivan a chance to get away," said Hal briefly. "Now, all we have to do is to wait until he has a good start."
But the mountaineers had no mind to remain idle and let the fugitives make all the plans. Even now they were in deep consultation. There were many gestures and noddings of heads. And at last the mountaineers seemed to have hit upon a plan of action.
The men split up into small groups, and leaving their horses, picketed by the side of the road, plunged in among the trees. Hal, glancing from his place of concealment at that moment, took account of the activities of the foe.
"Something up," he whispered to the others. "They probably will attempt to surprise us. We'll have to look sharp now."
"My advice," said Colonel Edwards, "is that we split up a bit, to return here at a given signal. If we all remain here, it will be simple for them to surround us. Scattered, we may catch them at a disadvantage."
"A good plan," Hal agreed. "We'll scatter a hundred yards in each direction. And the signal to return?"
"I'll whistle," said Colonel Edwards.
"Good! Let's move."
Five minutes later, in the spot where the five had been, there remained only the five horses.
With revolvers in hands, the five friends were scattered near by, eyes wide open for the first enemy to show himself.
And the first chanced to be a scant twenty yards from Chester. He came crawling along the ground, glancing furtively about. He spied Chester at the same moment the lad saw him. The two revolvers spoke almost as one.
Chester felt a slight pain in his left arm. His opponent gave a loud cry and toppled over.
"Guess he won't bother us any more," muttered the lad grimly.
He kept his eyes peeled for sign of another of the foes. And in other parts of the woods the others did likewise.
Hal saw no sign of an enemy and after the one whom he had accounted for, neither did Chester. They kept careful watch, the while awaiting the signal that was to call them back to their horses in a final dash for safety.
From their places of concealment the lads heard a shot. There was not a second. Each was greatly worried, for neither knew who had fired it or whether friend or foe had been hit. All they could do was wait.
At last the whistle came, the signal agreed upon. It came so faintly as to be scarcely audible to those who had been awaiting it. Hal and Chester moved toward the spot where stood the horses. There they saw Colonel Edwards holding the bridle of his own animal. A moment later Colonel Anderson and Nikol appeared.
"All right. No use waiting longer," said Colonel Edwards. "Mount and we'll run for it!"
All suited the action to the word.
"Go!" commanded Colonel Edwards.
There was a strange catch in the colonel's voice and Hal glanced at him sharply before touching his horse. He saw Colonel Edwards reel suddenly in his saddle, then fall heavily to the ground.
With a cry to the others, Hal leaped quickly to the ground, ran to the fallen figure of the colonel and bent over him anxiously.
The others, at Hal's cry, also dismounted and returned to the fallen man.
"Stand guard there till I see what's wrong!" Hal commanded.
Colonel Anderson, Chester and Nikol stood with drawn revolvers.
Gently Hal lifted Colonel Edwards' head to his knee. The eyes were closed. The lad put a hand over the officer's heart. There was a faint beating.
A moment later Colonel Edwards opened his eyes. He smiled feebly.
"Guess I'm done for," he said quietly.
Hal did not reply, for the little wound just above the heart showed where the bullet had gone home.
Now Colonel Anderson knelt down beside his old friend.
"What's the matter, old man?" he said. "Did they get you?"
"They got me," replied Colonel Edwards. "You fellows go on. You can do nothing for me. It's too late."
A sudden shudder shook him and he burst into a fit of coughing. His eyes closed, but he reached forth a hand and his fingers clasped Colonel Anderson's hand.
"Tell the folks at home—" he said feebly, then became still.
Quickly Colonel Anderson placed a hand over the other's heart. Then he looked at Hal.
"Dead!" he said simply.
For long minutes all stood there silently, their hats off. How long they would have remained, it is hard to tell, but the sound of a shot close at hand awakened them to their own danger.
"We can do no good here," said Colonel Anderson quietly. "We may as well go."
"First," said Hal, "we shall move his body to a little hole in the ground
I saw back here. We'll cover him up and then we'll go."
Under the very revolvers of the enemy this was done; and the four returned to their horses.
"Mount!" ordered Colonel Anderson.
The order was obeyed. Colonel Anderson gazed lingeringly toward the spot where lay the body of Colonel Edwards, and there were tears in his eyes as he did so. He drew a hand sharply across his eyes, shook himself a bit and commanded:
"Forward!"