The other peered at him intently. Then he uttered an exclamation of pure astonishment.
"Hal Paine!" he cried. "Is it really you? And what are you doing in that uniform?"
"I might ask you, major, what you are doing out of uniform?" laughed
Hal, as he grasped his old friend's hand.
"Well, I'm here on business," explained the major.
"And I'm here trying to get out of the German lines," said Hal.
"And where is Chester?" asked the major.
"He's upstairs, waiting for me to bring up a candle that he may have light," said Hal. "By George! It's good to see you again. Let me see, it has been almost two years since I last saw you in France."
"Yes, it's been all of that," agreed the major.
"And what of our old friend Anderson? Do you know what has happened to him?"
"No," said Hal, "the last indirect word I had of him he had been sent to Mesopotamia. I have not seen him for many months. But, tell me, what are you doing here?"