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."

CHAPTER XVIII.

IVAN AGAIN.

"Come," said Colonel Anderson, "the battle is over. There will be no more
fighting to-day. Let us move."

Slowly all made their way back toward their quarters, talking over the
battle as they went.

It was late in the afternoon. The battle had raged all day, and now for
the first time the friends felt the need of food. Instead of taking camp
fare, to which they were invited by the Montenegrin officer who
accompanied them, they decided to go to a little village not far from the
camp, where the officer informed them they could get a substantial meal
at a certain, little restaurant.

Thither they made their way and to their satisfaction found the
information correct. Then, their appetites satisfied, they left the
restaurant and started back to the camp.

It was now after dark and as they walked slowly, discussing events of the
day, they came upon a knot of men engaged in some sort of an argument.

"My curiosity always gets the better of me," said Chester. "Let's have a
look," and he led the way toward the gesticulating group.

It was plain, as they drew nearer, that the argument was heated. Loud
voices broke the stillness of the night, and one of them, a deep bass,
had a familiar ring. One look at the faces in the crowd and they
recognized its owner.

It was none other than Ivan, whom they had last seen when he made his
dash for liberty in the mountains.

Ivan was in the very center of the crowd, and as Hal, Chester and the
others came close, in the glare of a dim light he could be seen
gesticulating violently.

"I tell you," he shouted, "I have no money."

"But you showed two bags of gold in the restaurant," said one of the men
pressing in on him.

"Well, what if I did?" demanded Ivan. "That gold is not mine. It belongs
to your king and I am taking it to him."

"A likely story," said one man in the crowd wit