Billy, as a matter of precaution, replaced the stone and smoothed away with his foot the earth particles which had fallen with the knife chiseling.
When the guard finally approached, the belt was safely tucked away in Henri’s blouse, and both of the innocents were idly leaning over the parapet, apparently viewing the activity in the Russ encampment, across the San river.
The Slav soldier challenged the intruders in his own language, but in answer the boys simply shook their heads, indicating lack of understanding.
Looking downward, the guard hailed a number of Cossacks engaged in some lance-tilting game in the stone square.
The Dons surrounded the boys the minute they descended to the level, and failing to get satisfaction in their jerky string of questions, began to pull and haul the captives in a roughly sportive way.
The boys vigorously protested, but to no avail, and Billy even resorted to a real kick or two at savage shins. In the scuffle it so happened that the amulet which Nikita had given Henri fell out of the torn front of his blouse and under the feet of the tormentors.
The sight of the thonged lance-point had magic effect. The Cossacks ceased their badgering as one man quitting. The Don in authority had lifted a hand high above his head.
As Henri stooped to recover the flint talisman, the chief anticipated him, presenting it with a grave salutation to the bewildered lad.
It dawned then upon the aviators that they had been recognized as “brothers of the blood.”
Henri turned an “I told you so” glance at his chum. That “useful in a pinch” prediction had been verified in most opportune manner.