"What we may, with caution," was the reply.
"Good. Then I shall expect you back within the week."
Again all bowed before the king and after a few words of farewell the
Montenegrin monarch resumed his walk.
"Well, I feel better now," declared Hal. "We've got something to do, so we won't feel as though we had no business here."
"My sentiments, exactly," agreed Chester.
"Well, they are not mine," declared Stubbs. "Say! what's the matter with you fellows, anyhow? Look at all the trouble we had finding a safe place to come down, and now you are running around looking for more trouble. You are not going to get Anthony Stubbs into any Albanian mountains, I can tell you that."
"You don't have to go if you don't want to, I'm sure," said Colonel
Anderson stiffly. "I had no idea you were afraid."
"Afraid!" echoed Stubbs. "And why shouldn't I be afraid, I ask you? Why shouldn't I be afraid, eh? I don't know anything about mountains. I don't know anything about mountaineers. I don't want to know anything about any of them. All I want to do is—"
"Get a little news for the New York Gazette," Chester interrupted.
"Eh?" exclaimed Stubbs. "What's that? News? Sure, I've got to get some news. By George! Might be a good feature story up in those mountains." He turned to Colonel Edwards. "Count me in on this little trip, will you?" he said.