As they appeared in the small enclosure Alexis fell upon his knee, and bowed till his head all but touched the ground.

Nicholas, the Czar of all the Russias, turned toward the three with a question on his lips. But the Grand Duke spoke first:

"These, sire, are three of your majesty's bravest soldiers, who have only now returned from a successful raid into the heart of the Carpathians."

The Czar glanced at the two lads.

"But these," he said, pointing his finger at Hal and Chester, "are not Russians."

"No, sire," replied the Grand Duke. "They are American lads; but they have rendered invaluable services to our cause," and while the lads stood listening, he gave the Czar a brief account of some of their experiences.

The Czar advanced and placed a hand upon the shoulder of each.

"I am glad," he said in perfect English, "to know you; and I envy my cousin George the services of such gallant youths."

Both lads bowed in acknowledgment of this compliment, and the Czar turned to Alexis, who was still kneeling.

"And this man," he said, "surely he is one of my Cossacks?"

"Yes, your majesty," replied the Grand Duke. "There is not a braver in the whole army," and he related some of Alexis' feats, as told him days before by Hal and Chester.

The Czar stretched forth a hand to Alexis, and the latter kissed it.

"You shall be remembered," said the Russian monarch.

Alexis' face glowed with pleasure. He was so taken by surprise that he was unable to speak.

The Grand Duke now signified that the three might leave the tent, and they accordingly bowed themselves out. Outside Alexis could restrain himself no longer.

"I told you I was a brave man!" he cried; "but I am even braver than I thought. I have been addressed by the Czar!"

An officer entered the Grand Duke's tent, and departed a moment later in great haste. A second later and the shrill call of a bugle carried through the town. It was the order for inspection. The Czar was about to review his troops.

An hour later Czar Nicholas stood before his army, or such a part of it as could be crowded in the plain before the Grand Duke's tent. Far out it stretched on all sides. In a short address, in which he praised his troops for their gallantry in action, the Czar predicted that success would eventually crown the Russian arms. Then he turned to an officer of the Grand Duke's staff and gave a command.

Immediately the latter approached Hal, Chester and Alexis, who, being apart from their regiments, stood a little to one side watching the ceremonies.

"Follow me!" he commanded.

Without a word the three obeyed. Straight to the Czar the officer led the way, the two lads and the Cossack wondering what it was all about.

In front of the Russian monarch the officer withdrew, leaving them alone before the Czar.

The Russian ruler stepped between the three, with a smile on his face drew something from his pocket, approached each in turn and pinned something on his breast.

Alexis, Hal and Chester let their eyes drop to these objects, and all three cried out in surprise.

For the Czar of Russia, there in the presence of the army of Poland, before the Grand Duke and other Russian n.o.bles and dignitaries, with the eyes of the entire a.s.semblage focused upon them, had pinned upon the b.r.e.a.s.t.s of the two American lads and the giant Cossack the Cross of the Order of St. George!

It was their reward for bravery, and a great cheer went up from the a.s.sembled hosts.

CHAPTER XXV.

A NEW MISSION.

The two lads were again having an audience of the Grand Duke. The latter, after ordering them to bear word to the commander of the Cossack force that had invaded the Carpathians to remain before Cracow until further notice, had also proposed a new mission to the lads.

"I would like to learn," he said, "whether there is any truth in the report that, in the event we capture Cracow, the population of Galicia will come to our support and throw off the Austrian yoke. Of course I have heard these rumors from apparently reliable sources, but I would prefer to know the truth from someone I can trust implicitly."

"We shall be glad to undertake that mission, Your Excellency," said Hal.

"I believe that by using a little strategy we can gain entrance to the city. It would probably be easier for us than for one of your own men, because we are Americans and may be able to use that to advantage."

"I had thought of that," replied the Grand Duke. "In fact, it is for that reason that I selected you. I will give you a message to your commander, relieving you from active duty. My advice is that you do not take Alexis on this mission. He would probably hinder you."

The boys saluted, and taking the paper the Grand Duke extended to them, departed. On their way back toward Cracow they informed Alexis of their mission and of the fact that he was not to accompany them. The Cossack was disappointed and astonished.

"Not take me!" he exclaimed in surprise. "Why, I am good for fifty men!

You know that!"

"But this is not a case of strength and fighting," Hal explained. "This is a case where strategy will count more than a hundred men."

"Well," demanded Alexis, "am I not a strategist? Did you not tell me so with your own lips? As a strategist there is none better than I. Why, I can tell you how I----"

"But, Alexis," Hal interrupted, "one look at you would tell an Austrian your nationality. You cannot expect to fool them as we did the peasant of the hills. I am sorry, but there is no help for it."

Alexis was greatly crestfallen, but he admitted the truth of the boys'

reasoning.

"It is true that anyone would know I am a Cossack," he replied, "but if it came to a fight----"

"If it comes to a fight," said Chester, "we shall miss you greatly; but we shall have to try and get along without you this time."

Back with their regiment they gave the message releasing them from active duty to their commander; then, changing their uniforms for civilian garb and bidding Alexis good-by, they set out in the direction of the Galician stronghold, making a wide detour so as to approach from the north, rather than from the direction of the Russian troops in the East.

They went horseback, and they rode slowly, for they did not wish to attract undue attention to themselves by too great speed. The route they traversed made it a good two-days' journey, and long before coming to the city proper they encountered bands of Austrian troops. To these, however, they paid little heed and they were not molested.

"Evidently they don't care who goes in," remarked Chester.

"Looks that way," replied Hal; "but I'll bet they pay strict attention to anyone who tries to get out. That's where our hardest work probably will come in."

"I guess you are right," said Chester.

Nevertheless they were halted by an Austrian patrol when close to the city. To him, however, they explained that they were American tourists, caught in Galicia at the outbreak of the war, and that they had penetrated beyond the Austrian lines without being aware of it.

"We want to get back to safety," Hal told him.