human
By Jove! cried the lad at last.
gpt
It is--it can't be--yes, it must be--
human
Anthony Stubbs, war correspondent of the New York _Gazette_, sir, and very much at your service,
gpt
And what in the name of all that's wonderful are you doing here?
human
Getting some red-hot news for the New York _Gazette_, was Stubbs' laconic response.
gpt
You are liable to find me most any place. As I told you before, there is no place a newspaper man cannot go. Now, what's all this mess I find you in?
human
Hm-m-m, he said, when the lad had concluded,
gpt
I guess the best thing for you to do is to hop back into Italy as fast as the law allows.
human
My idea, said Chester dryly.
gpt
The trouble is it's a pretty long hop, and in the next place the Austrian law doesn't allow it.
human
That's so, agreed Stubbs.
gpt
However, you just leave these little things to Anthony. He'll get you through or the New York _Gazette_ will lose its best man.
human
Well, I hope the _Gazette_ doesn't lose him, said Chester;
gpt
Civilization? echoed the little man.
human
And what do you call this? Let one of these uniformed gentleman on this side of the border hear you say that and you won't ever get any place except under the sod. This, take the Austrian word for it, is the last word in civilization. Therefore, what you mean is that you want to get out of civilization.
gpt
Whichever way suits you,
human
All right. Then you come with me. It's time to be moving, anyhow. This fellow is getting about ready to get up and there is no use of our being here to greet him when he opens his eyes. Let's go.
gpt
What's the use of going back there? he wanted to know.
human
That's the place I have been trying to get away from.
gpt
Now listen here, young man, said Stubbs,
human
No, replied Chester,
gpt
And you won't have any better now, if you don't do as I say, declared Stubbs.
human
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.
gpt
Of course I'll come, said Chester.
human
That is, if they will let me.
gpt
Oh, they'll let you, all right, replied Stubbs.
human
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?
gpt
I see,
human
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.