"Well, you are shy on them right now," said Stubbs. "So you will have to do the best you can without 'em. If you are questioned, which I don't believe you will be, say that you have sold out; that you have thrown your baskets away and that you are going to try to get to a place of safety."
"But I didn't know there were any apple-women near here," said Chester.
"Well, there aren't any," replied Stubbs. "However, if there had not been two, I wouldn't have been able to get these clothes for you."
"How did you get them?"
"Bought 'em."
"Then why didn't you get the baskets and apples, too?" asked Hal.
The little man sniffed his contempt.
"I would have looked nice lugging two big baskets about, wouldn't I?" he asked. "If I had tried that I'd have been shot a long while ago. I had trouble enough getting here with the bundle without being seen."
"But why—" began Hal.
"Great Scott!" exclaimed Stubbs. "You fellows should have been newspaper men. You can ask more fool questions to the minute than anyone I ever heard."