“Why, what’s all this mean?” gasped the stout boy, looking startled.
“Oh! I saw that hustling newspaper man again,” explained Rob, “and I was afraid he’d corner us and try to worm out something of our past.”
“Shucks! is that all?” said Tubby, in disgust. “Why, Rob, honest to goodness now, if I didn’t think it might be another mad dog scare we were up against.”
“Well, it was something I dislike almost as much,” vowed Rob. “And if he ever got you cornered I’m pretty sure you’d give him all the details about that other little happening that would make me look silly in the paper. Now he’s gone, and it’s safe for us to step out.”
Tubby shook his head, and sighed.
“You sure are the queerest fish ever, Rob,” he observed, with a disappointed air. “I never yet ran across the fellow who wouldn’t be only too glad to see a write-up about him in the paper where he was called a hero, and all that. Why, they’d hurry off to buy a dozen copies, and mail the same to all the girls they knew. But say, whenever you do a thing worth mentioning you try to sneak away as if it was something to be ashamed of.”
“I don’t like it, and that’s the only explanation I can give you, Tubby. Come, let’s go into this building, and then half an hour from now it’ll be time to make for our meeting-place so as to pick up the other fellows.”
“I hope Hiram has made up his mind it’s about due to spring his surprise on the company he’s come all the way out here to see and talk with,” Tubby said, as they started into the building mentioned by Rob.
“I’ve got a hunch that he will, after to-day, Tubby. I mean to speak with him about it this very night, and see if it can’t be settled to-morrow. Hiram looks so anxious every little while it’s too bad he doesn’t take the bull by the horns and settle the matter once for all.”
When the half-hour was up the two boys issued forth, and headed in the direction of the tobacconist’s booth, which was not a great way off. Tubby was again feeling tired, and seemed pretty well used up.