"No telling," he replied. "However, I guess he'll turn up sooner or later."
And the lad was right.
It was dark when the little party came again within the first line of Montenegrin troops. Colonel Anderson announced that he would seek an audience of King Nicholas immediately. He made his wants known to the officer of the guard, and after he had explained the situation, the officer departed to learn whether the king would see the returned travelers. He returned fifteen minutes later with the announcement that the king would receive them in his field quarters immediately.
As they started for the monarch's quarters, Stubbs and Nikol both hung back.
"Come on now, Mr. Stubbs," said Chester. "The king will be as glad to see you as any of the rest of us."
"I'm not much used to kings," Stubbs protested. "Besides, this is none of my expedition. You're the fellows he wants to see."
"Nonsense," said Hal, and struck with a sudden thought, he added: "Perhaps the king will give you an interview. It would be a good thing for the New York Gazette."
"By Jove! you're right there," Stubbs agreed. "I must be a great newspaper man to have overlooked a thing like that. If my boss knew it I'd get fired. I'll go along."
Still Nikol hung back, and it took considerable coaxing before he consented to go; and then it took Stubbs to clinch matters.
"Look here, now," he said, eyeing Nikol sternly, "I took you for a brave man. You're not afraid of a king, are you?"