"News, eh?" said Hal. "It is my belief that you are in search of information to turn over to the Germans."
"You are mistaken, sir," replied Anthony, somewhat uncomfortably, the lads could see. "I assure you on the honor of a Stubbs that I am what I represent myself to he."
Hal could keep a straight face no longer. So comical was the little man in his ruffled dignity that the boy was forced to laugh.
"All right, Mr. Stubbs," he said at last, "I believe you; but tell me, what were you running from when you bumped into us?"
"I wasn't running, sir," was the reply. "I heard a large force of the enemy in a field just out of the woods, and I was merely hurrying to a place where I could get a look at them."
"Well, you were hurrying at a pretty good gait," said Hal. "But tell me, is the enemy in force?"
"I didn't see any of them," said Stubbs, "but by the sounds of their horses' hoofs, I should say they were in force, sir."
"Where?" demanded Hal, somewhat anxiously.
"Straight ahead, sir," replied Stubbs, pointing down the road.
"We thank you, Mr. Stubbs," said Hal, "and we shall now leave you to gather your news while we proceed to reconnoiter."