He put out his hand and patted the dwarf on the head.
CHAPTER XV.
MR. STUBBS EASES HIS MIND.
The remainder of the journey to Cettinje was without incident. After the defeat of the mountaineers the lads felt safe, for they were once more within the borders of Montenegro and were unlikely, they knew, to encounter other enemies.
Stubbs, when informed of the death of Colonel Edwards, was greatly grieved.
"Poor fellow," he said, and added after a pause: "There is no use talking, Hal, this is no life for any one. He's likely to be snuffed out at a moment's notice. I'm going to be careful where I go in the future."
Besides the three bags of gold he had carried when he left the Albanian mountains, Hal now had the two he had taken from the body of Colonel Edwards. The two Nicolas had carried had been left with him, for there had been no time to get them. Stubbs had held on to the two entrusted to him, and Ivan, wherever he was, had two more.
It was while speaking of the gold that Hal's thoughts turned to Ivan.
"I wonder what can have happened to him?" he said.
Chester shrugged his shoulders.