"If Martin can forget his tummy," says he. "How I'll be guyed! Go to the foot of the eligible list too, and probably miss out on being sent over with my division. Oh, well!"
I was beginning to dope out the mystery. More'n that, I had my fingers on the tail feathers of a hunch.
"Why not leave Martin here?" I suggests. "Couldn't you show up in time?"
"It wouldn't count," says the Lieutenant. "You must have an observer all the way. "
"How about me subbin' in?" says I.
"You?" says he. "Why, you're on the other side."
"That's where you're mixed," says I. "I'm on the wrong side of Long Island Sound, that's all."
"Why," says he, "weren't you sent out to——"
"No," I breaks in; "I'm no spotter. I'm on special detail from the Ordnance Department. And a mighty punk detail at that, if you ask me. The party who's sleuthin' for you, I expect, is the one I saw back at the plant, moonin' around with a pair of field glasses strapped to him. You ain't captured yet; not by me, anyway."
"Honest?" says he. "Why, then—then——"