sighed George; "but all the same I'm going to practice up in my German, because it may serve us well sooner or later. If you fellows get pinched, send us word and I'll hurry around to the police station to explain matters."

"How kind you are, George; but I'm afraid after they heard your fine German they'd put _you_ behind the bars for murdering the language."

With that parting shot Buster hurried away, leaving Josh shaking his sides with laughter, for they did love to get a crack at George, who was always complaining and throwing cold water on every plan.

Jack led the way, for, having been already over the ground, he could serve in the capacity of pilot.

"Listen, Buster," he said impressively as they walked along toward the nearby street, "from now on we want to let everybody know that we're American boys, and not English, you understand."

"What's the idea, Jack? Up to now a lot of people have taken us for English, and we've let it go at that without taking the bother to explain, because there's always been a warm friendly feeling between the Austrians and the English."

"That's right, Buster, but if Great Britain gets into this big sc.r.a.p you can see that she'll be up against the soldiers of Austria-Hungary as well as those of the Kaiser. So from now on stand up for your colors.

We're Americans every time, and don't you forget it."

Buster evidently saw the point, for he promised to faithfully observe the counsel of his mate, in whom he placed the utmost reliance.

They soon reached the store which Jack had noticed. It was quite an extensive establishment, and there could be little doubt but that everything needful on Buster's list might be procured there. If some of the items chanced to be lacking, their place could be filled with others equally attractive, Jack felt sure.

By great good luck the proprietor could speak and read English. This made it very easy for the purchasers. He also promised to have the goods delivered inside of an hour, and said he knew the boatyard well.

When Jack went to pay for their purchases he had only English money. He thought the merchant looked at him a little more closely, and considered that this was a very good opportunity to prove their nationality. So he took out a letter he had just received, which bore the home postmark across in America. This he showed, as well as one Buster also produced, as proof of his a.s.sertion that they were Americans, and not English.

"Nothing like getting your hand in," he told Buster later on when they were making their way back to where the boat was tied up.

"And come to think of it," added the other with sudden vehemence, "I believe I've got a little silk edition of Old Glory stowed away somewhere in my bundle. I just chucked the same in, thinking we might want to fasten it to our boat; but up to this minute it's slipped my mind. How'd it do to make use of it, Jack?"

"Splendid idea," commented the other.

"As long as that waves in the breeze n.o.body can mistake our nationality; even if George keeps on trying to talk that silly German of his. He makes such a mess of it that some of these people may think we're spies out to learn all about the fortifications of the lower Danube."

Upon their arrival at the boat the others questioned them concerning the success of their undertaking. Josh also wanted to know if they had managed to pick up any further news concerning the great struggle that had begun.

"We went after grub," Buster told him severely, "and that being the case, you needn't expect that we would waste our precious time jabbering about a silly old war, would you? If you do you've got another guess coming. And say, we got everything on my list, would you believe it, or something that was just as good."

"Huh! I can see why you're grinning so happily, Buster," sneered George; "you're contemplating many a fine feed ahead."

"We're all in the same boat, George," sang out Buster blithely; "and when the tocsin calls us to supper I notice that as a rule you're never hanging far in the rear. Considering the difference in our heft, I take it I've got a bird's appet.i.te compared with you and Josh here--pound for pound."

"Well, it's getting twilight, so suppose we start in with that same supper," Jack ventured to say. "For one I'm willing to admit that an afternoon humming down the river has given me a ferocious appet.i.te; and I'm not ashamed to declare it, either."

Buster needed no second invitation. Time had been when the fat boy hardly knew how to cook a rasher of bacon properly; but his love of eating had inspired him to pick up fresh knowledge, with the result that he now stood in a cla.s.s by himself.

Perhaps Josh and George, wishing to shirk much of their share of the culinary operations, flattered Buster more than was really necessary.

They imposed upon his good nature in this way outrageously; but since the stout youth seemed to really enjoy handling the saucepans and skillet, Jack interposed no objections.

Supper was soon ready, though they had to light the lanterns before they could sit down at the little adjustable table, which, when not in use, could be slung up against the wall of the cabin and the s.p.a.ce it occupied utilized as sleeping quarters for one of the crew.

After that they sat around talking in low tones and covering a wide range of subjects as usual in their conversation, from the folks at home, numerous former escapades that came to mind, to the terrible conflict that apparently promised to engulf the whole of Europe in its thrall.

Then a vehicle came into the boatyard and the stores were taken aboard.

When they had been stowed away in temporary places Jack declared that he meant to open his letter from home and enjoy the contents.

Of course, this reminded the others that they too had news from those dear ones now so far away, and for a long time the four sat there, lost in contemplation of distant scenes brought close to them by those envelopes and their contents.

Later on they lay down to secure what sleep was possible. As a rule, after the first night afloat all of them had little difficulty about sleeping; but it seemed that on this occasion they turned and tossed considerably more than usual before settling down. Perchance it was the thrilling news they had heard that afternoon that made them so restless; or it may have been a premonition of coming difficulties that kept them awake; but morning came and found them far from refreshed.

CHAPTER III

TAKING CHANCES

"Better take a little turn ash.o.r.e, Josh and George, while I'm getting breakfast ready," advised Buster; "you'd hate to say you'd pa.s.sed through Budapest without even setting foot in the city."

"If you go, be careful not to get lost," added Jack, looking as though almost tempted to veto the arrangement; but George proudly declared he felt sure of being able to find his way about.

"Don't be more than half an hour at the most, fellows," sang out Buster after the couple, and they waved their hands at him as if they understood.

About the time breakfast was ready Jack went ash.o.r.e to look for the absent ones, but there was as yet no sign of them. In fact, the two who were left aboard had more than half finished their meal and were becoming really worried when the others made their appearance.

George looked a trifle chagrined, while Josh was chuckling to himself.

"What's the joke? Tell us, Josh," demanded Buster.

"Oh, yes, hurry up and give him the full particulars," sneered George, looking daggers at his companion.

"Why, you see, George here tried some of his German on a gendarme we happened to meet," explained Josh between gurgles. "Say, you ought to have seen how surprised that cop looked. I'm afraid George got his nouns twisted and called him some sort of bad name. Anyhow, he was for taking us to the lock-up; but I managed to soothe him down some by showing him my letters with the American postmarks on them, and letting a silver coin slip into his hand. But he shook his head and looked as if he could eat poor George. All the way back George has been racking his brain trying to understand what it was he really called that uniformed gendarme. I rather think it stood for pig."

"Well, let that rest, will you, Josh?" growled George. "What I'm most interested in just now is pig of another kind, for I see Buster has fried some bacon for us. Mistakes will happen in the best regulated families, they say, and I own up I'm afraid I did get my nouns slightly mixed."

"Slightly!" echoed Josh, with a shrug of his shoulders. "Well, if the boys could only have seen how that big cop scowled at you they'd have had a fit."

As Josh was also hungry, he wasted no more time in explanations, and so the incident was forgotten for the present. Later on it would doubtless give Josh occasion for considerable additional merriment and be the cause for more or less acrimonious conversation between the pair.

While they were eating Jack proceeded to settle with the owner of the boatyard for the accommodations, for a bargain had been struck with him. People over in old Europe are not apt to do things without a consideration, especially when tourists are concerned.

By the time George and Josh had finished their morning meal everything was in order for making a start.

"It's pretty tough to be running away like this without having a chance to see what sort of movies they have over here in Budapest," complained George, who was known to be a steady attendant at the little theatre in his home town, where all manner of dramas, as well as world-wide views, were nightly screened.

"So far as that goes," Josh told him, "they're pretty much all alike here and at home. Chances are you'd see some cowboy pictures of the wild and woolly West; for they do say those are the ones they like best abroad. They know all about Buffalo Bill over here. You know we saw an Austrian edition of some highly colored story about his imaginary exploits hanging up when we pa.s.sed that book stall."

Working the boat free from all entanglements, they were soon afloat once more on the river. The motor had started working as though it meant to do good service. Jack himself as a rule took charge of the machinery, not but that George knew all about such things, but he had a decided failing, which was to "monkey" with things even when they were running satisfactorily, and thus bring about sudden stoppages through his experiments.

"Look at the beautiful bridge we're going to pa.s.s under," sang out Buster presently. "It makes me think of one we saw in London."

"There's a bunch of Austrian officers walking across," said Josh, "and see how one of them is pointing to us now."