Just then the door opened, and Mara came in.
"Well, mother," said Uros, "what news do you bring to us?"
"Your father is safe, my boy. He left this morning for Montenegro; by this time he must have crossed the border. On the whole, the police tried to look for him where they knew they could not find him. He left word that he wishes to see you very much, and begs you to go up to Cettinje as soon as you can."
"I'll go and see Milenko, so that he may take sole charge of the ship, and then I'll start this very evening."
"No, child, there is no such hurry! Rest to-night; you can leave to-morrow, or the day after."
Having seen Milenko, and entrusted the ship for a few days entirely to him, Uros started early on the next morning for the black mountains.
Mara could hardly tear herself away from him. She had been waiting so eagerly for his arrival, and now, when he had come home, she was obliged to part from him.
"Do not stay there too long, for then you will only return to start, and I'll have scarcely seen you."
"No, I'll only stay there one or two days, no more."
"And then I hope you'll not mix up in any quarrel. I'm so sorry you've come back just now."