some moments.

"About five miles straight along this mountain road," he said at last.
"There we cross the Albanian frontier, and there, also, we part company,
or some of us do. Some of us will strike off to the right and the others
to the left. You know what his majesty said. We would not learn much if
we all went together."

"True," returned Hal. "Well, let's be moving."

They trudged along the rough, hilly road at a fair gait; but the walking
was difficult and it was almost two hours later that Colonel Edwards
again called a halt at what appeared to be a fork in the mountain pass.

"We'll split up here," he said briefly.

"And how?" asked Chester.

"That's up to you fellows. Of course, I'll take charge of one party, and
I suppose Colonel Anderson should be entrusted with the other."

"Of course," said Chester. "I'll go with Colonel Anderson. Hal and Stubbs
can go with you."

"One way as well as another," was the reply.

And so it was decided. There was a last handshake all around and the two
parties went their separate ways--Colonel Anderson and Chester taking the
more level trail to the right, and Colonel Edwards, Hal and Stubbs moving
off along the rough pass to the left, leading more abruptly upward.