“We’re certainly stumped, boys,” was what the officer remarked, with a short laugh, such as spoke of chagrin, “if, as you say, this party is one of your friends; he certainly doesn’t look much like a desperado, I must confess. I was trying hard to picture him in such a fiendish raid, but couldn’t manage it, any way I figured. But let’s step up and meet the gentleman. I imagine we stand no chance whatever now of being able to cut off the flight of those cowardly curs.”
The three boys were only too glad to avail themselves of the opportunity. Of course, Rob’s and Andy’s first thought was of Tubby, and how delighted the fat chum would be to learn they had run across his relative. They would have something of importance to tell Uncle George, too.
By now the big sportsman was on his feet, for he saw strangers advancing toward his camp fire from two different directions; and, being a hospitable soul, Uncle George’s first thought was to welcome them to the genial blaze, in true sportsman style.
He looked keenly at the two boys in khaki.
“Hello!” he remarked with a chuckle. “I’ve got a nephew who’s proud to be wearing that khaki cloth, and on his account I’m glad to see you.”
“How d’ye do, Uncle George?” Andy coolly remarked, as he shook hands, and it was almost comical to see the gentleman stare at him as he hastened to say:
“Well, you seem to know my name, all right, my boy, which strikes me as rather singular. How do you explain that?”
“Oh, Tubby has talked so much about you that we’re all calling you Uncle George, sir, begging your pardon for being so familiar,” explained audacious Andy, with one of his widest grins.
“‘Tubby’!” exclaimed the gentleman. “Why, you must mean my nephew, Robert Hopkins. I remember that his chums do call him by some such outlandish name. You know him, then, which indicates that I was mistaken when I placed you as Canadian Boy Scouts. I reckon you must live in Hampton, down on Long Island?”
“Just what we do, sir,” Rob took occasion to remark. “I’m Rob Blake, and this is Andy Bowles, both members of the same Eagle Patrol that Tubby belongs to. You will be still more surprised, I take it, sir, when you learn that your nephew is not over a mile or so away from this spot right now.”