The Boy Allies in Great Peril Part 28

Two hours later Chester was safe.

To the Italian officer who approached him, he demanded to be taken to the general commanding the division, and this was done without protest.

Chester explained the circ.u.mstances to the general, and the latter believed him. He turned him over to an orderly, with instructions that he be taken care of; and in a tent of his own, Chester sat down to await the arrival of Stubbs.

Stubbs, after Chester had left him, immediately betook himself to the commander of the Austrian forces at this point. The latter received him, although he didn't know Stubbs from any one else.

"General," said Stubbs, "somebody stole my papers, among them a safe conduct to the Italian lines. I want to get there."

"No papers, no safe conduct," replied the general briefly.

This was what Stubbs had expected.

"Look here now, general," he said familiarly, "that's no way for you to talk. I want to get into Italy, and I had safe conduct from General Oberlatz at Trieste."

The Austrian commander got to his feet.

"I have told you, sir," he said, "that without papers you cannot leave our lines."

"I heard you," replied Stubbs, "but you don't seem to understand the answer to my being here. I've got to get into the Italian lines. You can't blame me. The fellow you want is the one who stole my papers; he's probably a spy."

"And you may be one, too," said the officer.

"Sure, I may be," said Stubbs; "only I'm not. Now, I'll tell you, you just push through a little wire to General Oberlatz and he'll straighten this thing out."

"Can't be done," replied the general.

"But it's got to be done," declared Stubbs. "I can't stay around here when I have orders to go elsewhere. I don't want to have to take this matter up with my friend, the archduke."

The Austrian commander looked up in surprise at this last remark.

"You know the archduke?" he questioned.

"Well, rather," said Stubbs. "He and I are pretty good friends."

"Then," said the general, "it would do no harm for you to appeal to him in person."

"You're right, there, general," declared Stubbs. "My friend, the archduke, would fix this thing up in a minute. The only trouble on that score is the matter of time. Time is precious, you know, general, and time presses."

"Fortunately for you," said the officer, "the archduke happens to be in the next room at this moment. If you will be seated, I shall call him."

Stubbs sat down abruptly. A slight whistle escaped him, though it did not carry to the general's ears.

"Good night!" muttered the little man to himself. "I've sure enough gone and done it this time."

But Stubbs didn't betray himself. To the general he said:

"The archduke here? By Jove! This is what I call luck. Have him come out and talk to me."

With a bow, the Austrian commander turned and pa.s.sed from the room. The moment he crossed the threshold, Stubbs sprang to his feet and dashed to the door through which he had entered a few moments before.

"This," he said, as he came again into the open, "is no place for Anthony Stubbs."

He disappeared from within view of the general's quarters with amazing rapidity.

"Wasn't much use of me patting the archduke on the back," he told himself. "Never having seen me before, I guess he wouldn't have remembered me. I don't want to be shot."

Half a mile from the scene of his trouble, he entered a little restaurant and sat down to have something to eat and to figure out what he should do.

"This place is going to be too small to hold me," he said to himself over a second cup of coffee. "They'll have all the natives on my trail. I've got to get over the frontier some way. The question before me is how?"

He meditated for some moments, then rose, paid his check and left the restaurant. In front of the door he stopped and looked toward the south, where, in the distance, he knew heavy Austrian patrols faced the Italian pickets only a few miles beyond.

"That's the way I want to go," he told himself. "So I may as well be starting in that direction."

He moved off.

Possibly half a mile from the utmost Austrian line he stopped and sat down. So far he had been unchallenged and now, as he sat there, a plan came to him. He took his revolver from his pocket and examined it.

"I'll try it," he said briefly to himself. "If Chester knew what I was about to do, he would be greatly surprised. But the thing is I am more afraid to stay here than I am to take this chance."

He arose and moved on. As he expected, probably five minutes later, a mounted officer came toward him. There was no one else near. He halted the correspondent.

"Where are you going?" he asked sharply.

"I'll tell you," was the reply. "I am a war correspondent and I am just looking about a bit. Am I going too far? If so, I shall turn back."

"Well, I can permit you to go no farther," said the Austrian, with a smile.

"Oh, all right," said Stubbs.

He drew a cigar from his pocket, bit off the end, struck a match and lighted it. Then, with a start, he produced a second cigar.

"Beg pardon," he said. "Have a smoke?"

The Austrian signified that he would. Stubbs gave him the cigar and struck a second match. The Austrian leaned from his horse and put the cigar to the flame. At that moment Stubbs drew his revolver with his free hand and, dropping the match, seized the Austrian by the leg with the other. The latter came tumbling from his horse, and when he looked up, he gazed squarely into the mouth of Stubbs' revolver.

"Quiet," said the little man briefly. "I want you to change clothes with me."

The Austrian appeared about to protest, but changed his mind and signified his willingness to comply with the command.

"Stand off there and remove your clothes," ordered Stubbs, pointing.

The man obeyed, Stubbs the while keeping him covered with his revolver.

The man's clothes removed, Stubbs approached him.

"I'll have to tie you up minus your outer garments," he told him. "I can't take any chances on you while I am donning your robes."

He tied him up in most approved fas.h.i.+on and then gagged him with his handkerchief.