"Come, come, Stubbs," said Chester: "and you, too, Hal. We’re in a ticklish position and there is no time for foolishness. What are you doing here, Stubbs?" "Well," said Stubbs, "I’ll tell you; but as you’ll have to spend the night here, make yourselves comfortable. Sit down." *CHAPTER IV* *CHESTER IS INDISCREET* "First," Stubbs began, when the boys had pulled their chairs close to his bed and he had propped himself up with a pair of pillows, "first I want to know what you mean, Chester, by jumping me the way you did a few minutes ago?" "Well," said Chester, "you had a pair of guns wabbling in your hands and I was afraid one might accidentally go off. Safety first, Mr. Stubbs." "That sounds all right," was Stubbs’ dry comment, "or rather, I should say, it would sound all right if I didn’t know you so well. It’s my candid opinion you just jumped me because a good opportunity presented itself." "Come, Mr. Stubbs," said Chester, "you know I wouldn’t——" "Oh, I do, do I?" exclaimed Stubbs sarcastically. "I know all about you, Chester, you can bet on that." "Then maybe you can tell me what Hal and I are doing here," replied Chester. "No, I can’t do that exactly, but its a safe assertion that you are up to your old snooping tricks again." "Then why are you here, Mr. Stubbs?" Chester wanted to know. Stubbs smiled wryly. "I guess you have me there, my boy," he said good-naturedly. "I’m here to snoop a little myself." "As I thought," Hal put in. "By any chance, Mr. Stubbs, have you heard rumors that Austria has or is about to sue for peace?" Stubbs sat up straight in bed. "Now where did you get that idea?" he demanded. "Because we’re here in an attempt to verify that rumor," was Hal’s reply. Stubbs sighed. "Well, there is no use trying to conceal my mission," he said; "and yet I was in hopes I was the possessor of information that would give me a ’scoop’ for my paper; or an exclusive ’beat,’ if you like that better." "But surely you didn’t hope to have such information if it were not known to the military authorities," protested Chester. "And why didn’t I?" demanded Stubbs, with some heat. "Let me tell you something, my boy. It’s no infrequent thing for a newspaper man to gain knowledge of a certain thing long before it comes to the ears of the proper authorities." "Then it is up to you to acquaint the proper authorities with your information," said Hal. "Not a bit of it. Not a bit of it. My duty is to get the facts to my paper ahead of the correspondents of the other papers. That’s what I’m paid for; and you can bet I’ll do it if I get a chance." "That’s all beside the question right now, Mr. Stubbs," said Chester. "It seems that you are here on a mission similar to ours. Now the question is, shall we join forces or shall we work separately?"