Stubbs continued:

"I just want to tell you I don't think much of such treatment. As I have
told you before, you rush to each other's aid fast enough, but when I get
in a tight place I am left to fight it out by myself."

"And you always come out on top, Mr. Stubbs," declared Chester. "We would
deprive you of none of the glory."

"Yes, but some of these times I won't come out on top and then what good
will glory do me, huh?"

"Think how proud Mrs. Stubbs--"

"I can tell you right now that Mrs. Stubbs is not looking for glory,"
shouted Stubbs. "What Mrs. Stubbs wants is me and if I fool around with
you much longer I'm mighty likely to disappoint her."

Stubbs stalked across the room and sat down in a corner.

"Tell me," said Hal to Chester, "what was all the shooting about?"

"Oh, it didn't amount to much," returned Chester. "Thirteen
Bulgarians attacked us. That's all. Anderson, Miss Ellison and I
disposed of a couple and Ivan here attended to the rest. They are all
dead now, I guess."

"And where is Anderson?" demanded Hal.

"Over there on the sofa," said Chester, pointing. "He's sleeping and I
didn't like to disturb him. He's got a hole in his head."

"Bad?" asked Hal anxiously.

"No; mere flesh wound. He'll be all right directly."

"And do you mean to tell me," demanded Hal, "that Ivan here did all
this work?"

"Well, he did the greater part of it. It reminded me of the old days,
when we watched Alexis in action. Any one who had ever seen them both
fight would know they were brothers. Ivan is a powerful man and a
great fighter."

Ivan had hung his head modestly as Chester talked. Now he looked
up and said:

"It was nothing."

"And yet how unlike Alexis," muttered Hal. "Can you imagine what Alexis
would have said after a fight like that?"

"Rather," said Chester dryly. "He'd have sworn he had defeated a
regiment."

"Well," said Hal. "It seems to me we have delayed here long enough. You
will remember your orders to hurry. My plane will carry us all, if Miss
Ellison cares to go."

"Certainly she cares to go," returned Chester. "We can't leave her here
alone. I'll wake Anderson now."

He did so. The Colonel announced that he was feeling perfectly fit and
ready to go at any time.

"Well, you people get ready and I'll go and have a look at the
plane," said Hal.

He left the house.

It had grown light by this time. Dawn had broken half an hour before and
there was every indication that the