"My brave men!" he exclaimed, with tears in his eyes. "They have done a day's work to-day that will live in memory for generations to come. It is a brilliant victory."
The duel of heavy guns continued, but the infantry fighting was over for the day. The Montenegrins, in their newly won trenches, fell to preparing them to resist the attack that they knew would come sooner or later, while the Austrians were taking account of their losses and making ready for a new assault.
Stubbs laid a hand on Chester's arm.
"Didn't I tell you they looked like real fighters?" he exclaimed.
"Certainly, I have never seen better," returned the lad.
Stubbs turned to Nikol.
"Well, Nikol," said he, "what do you think of these fellows as fighters?"
Nikol eyed him in silence for several moments. But at last he spoke.
"Mr. Stubbs," he said quietly, "they are better fighters than you or I."