Nikol shook his head negatively.
"Well, if you don't come along I'll think you are," declared Stubbs. "Look at me now. I don't care particularly about going, but I want to show King Nicholas I'm not afraid of him. Come on."
He took the dwarf by the arm and the latter moved along grumbling to himself.
The king received the party in his private quarters—a large field tent. When the party was ushered into his presence, he was attended by a single orderly. He arose at their entrance. His eyes surveyed the group quickly, and he demanded:
"Where is my friend, Colonel Edwards?"
Colonel Anderson, delegated spokesman for the party by reason of his superior rank, stepped forward and replied quietly:
"He is dead, sire."
The king took a step backward and passed a trembling hand across his brow. He was silent for some moments before replying.
"Dead! One more victim of the Kaiser's militarism. Tell me, how did he die?"
Colonel Anderson explained quietly and briefly. Then, at the king's request, he went into the details of the journey; and when he had concluded, King Nicholas expressed his deep thanks for the service each member of the party had rendered him.