g had to
be done slowly and with great care.

"Now, if you will permit me, I shall take the lead," said Alexis. "I
have been in these parts before. Besides I have been told of certain
landmarks in these foothills which indicate where Brunnoi holds
forth--not definitely enough to lead us straight to him; but I have a
general idea of the direction."

No objection being offered, Alexis swung into the lead and the horses
plunged up a narrow pass into the midst of the wild hills, probably the
wildest and most desolate spot in all Europe. Great trees and massive
rocks overhung the little pass, making progress extremely difficult. At
the top of the first steep incline, the riders allowed their horses to
stop and rest. Then they fared on again.

It was nearing daylight when they came upon a small hut, shrouded by
trees, through which a dim light twinkled.

"We'll wait here until daylight," said Hal, "and when the occupants of
the hut come out we will accost them."

They waited. Daylight came, and with its coming, a man came from the
hut. Hal approached him, and addressed him in German. The man looked at
him shrewdly, and then answered in the same tongue.

"Yes," he said, "we can spare you something to eat; also your friends.
May I ask what you are doing in the mountains?"

"We are trying to make our way to Budapest," replied Hal. "We were
captured by the Russians, and escaped. We are not familiar with the
ground, however, and have met with difficulties."

"Well," said the man of the hut, "I can set you right. Come."

Over the meal they talked of the war. Finally Chester said:

"Is there any truth in the report that Brunnoi will go over to the
Russians?"

"None!" cried the man, striking the table a hard blow with his fist. "I
know, because I am one of his men."

"What!" exclaimed Hal, in well simulated surprise, though he had
surmised as much.

"Yes," said the man quietly. "Brigands, they have called us. But they
will find that when the Russians attempt to cross the Carpathians, as
they surely will, we bandits will give as good an account of ourselves
as will the trained troops. We love our country just as well as do those
who live in Budapest. But tell me, you are not Hungarians nor Austrians,
nor even Germans?"

"No," said Hal, thankful that they had been wise enough to discard their
uniforms before setting out upon their mission. "We are Americans."

"Ah!" said the man. "I have heard much of them. And you h