“Now listen here, young man,” said Stubbs, “you didn’t have much luck getting away by yourself, did you?”

“No,” replied Chester, “but—­”

“And you won’t have any better now, if you don’t do as I say,” declared Stubbs.  “But I’ll tell you.  I am leaving here myself in the morning.  I am going to Italy.  I’ve dug up all the stuff I can get around here and now I’m going to have a look at the Italian army in action.  If you wish, you can come along.”

“Of course I’ll come,” said Chester.  “That is, if they will let me.”

“Oh, they’ll let you, all right,” replied Stubbs.  “Say, I guess you don’t know who I am!  I’ll tell you:  I’m the war correspondent of the New York Gazette, and these fellows over here are glad to show me what favors they can.  It doesn’t do them any harm, and it might do them some good.  See?”

“I see,” agreed Chester briefly.

“All right, then.  I’ll take you to my lodgings and you can spend the night there with me.  We’ll leave early in the morning.”

Chester followed the little man, though not without some misgivings.

Apparently Stubbs had not spoken without reason.  Along the way they passed several officers, each of whom, after recognizing the war correspondent, gave him a formal military salute.

“You see,” said Stubbs, “I am some pumpkins around these parts.”

“So I see,” replied Chester.

“Here is where we put up,” said Stubbs presently, turning into a large and well-lighted hotel.  “Put your best foot foremost now, and walk in like you owned the place.  Can you swagger a bit?”

“Well, some,” said Chester hesitatingly.

“So can I,” said Stubbs, “which is the reason I get along so well.  Follow me.”

His usual manner—­the one to which Chester had become accustomed when he had been with the little man in the French theater of war, left him as he entered the door, and he swaggered in like a true bravo.  Chester threw out his shoulders and did likewise.

Straight up to the desk walked Stubbs, where a clerk came courteously forward to see what was desired.

“My friend here,” said Stubbs, with a wave of his hand, “will share my room to-night.  Have us called at six o’clock and send a man to help me with my things at that hour.  Understand?”

“Yes, Herr Stubbs,” replied the clerk, rubbing his hands together, though why Chester did not know.  “It shall be done.”

“All right,” said Stubbs.  “My key!”

The clerk hastened to get it.

“Now that’s the way to get by in this benighted land,” said Stubbs to Chester as they made their way to the little man’s room.  “Make ’em think you own the place.  It never hurts anything.”

“So I see,” said Chester dryly.  “Now, about the morning.  How do we get out of this country?”