CHAPTER V

THE MONTENEGRIN FRONT ON THE DRINA


When Jan awoke it was dark, and he was with difficulty rousing Jo when
suddenly a voice howled through the keyhole that the horses were
waiting. Jan grabbed his watch--5 a.m.; but the horses had been ordered
for six. Hastily chewing dry biscuit, Jan jumped into his clothes and
ran down. There was a small squat youth with a flabby Mongolian face
hovering between the yard door and the inn, and Jan following him
discovered three horses saddled and waiting. He hastily ordered white
coffee to be prepared, and ran up again to hurry Jo and to pack. He
rushed down again to pay the bill, but found that the Montenegrin Red
Cross had charged itself with everything, very generously, so he ran up
once more to nag at Jo. The secretary, whom we called "the shadow," had
not appeared, so we inquired from the squint-eyed youth, received many
"Bogamis" as answer, but nothing definite; so we decided, as it was now
past six, that he had changed his mind and had sent this chinee-looking
fellow, whom we named "Bogami," in his place.

Jan's horse was like an early "John" drawing of a slender but antiquated
siren, all beautiful curves. Jo's would in England long ago have taken
the boat to Antwerp; her saddle stood up in a huge hump behind and had a
steeple in front, and was covered by what looked like an old bearskin
hearthrug in a temper, one stirrup like a fire shovel was yards too
long, the other far too short, and were set well at the back.