The Boy Allies at Verdun Part 6

"I never saw a pea like that."

"Probably not. They are rather rare. A black pea, that's what it is.

Where did you get it?"

"Jules dropped it out of his pocket."

"Well, as he seems to think I have done him a favor, I am just going to keep this. I guess he won't mind. I'll carry it as a pocket piece."

"Then I'll carry the mate to it," said Chester.

He put the little round pea in his pocket and Hal followed suit.

Although neither could possibly have suspected it, these two little peas were to be the means of getting them into all kinds of trouble.

There was heavy fighting that day and when night fell it found the Germans safely entrenched in the French second line trenches along a seven-mile front. For some reason or other Hal and Chester did not get to the front, their duties confining them close to General Petain's headquarters. They were kept busy most of the day, however, and were tired out when they returned to their own quarters late that night.

Ready as they were for bed, they consented to sit up a while and talk with Stubbs, who announced that he had a wonderful tale to unfold.

"Well," said Stubbs, "I have discovered a strange thing. It's a big thing and there are many men in the French army implicated in it. Most likely in the British, too, and I know that it has touched the ranks of the enemy."

"What is it, a conspiracy?" asked Chester.

"It is," said Stubbs, "and it's a whopper. I haven't been able to find the names of any of the leaders and I wouldn't know what to do if I did learn who they are. This one thing, rather than anything else, is likely to disrupt the aims of the Allies."

"Then you had better tell General Petain about it," declared Hal.

"I suppose I should," said Stubbs, as he drew out his pipe and proceeded to fill it.

He was quiet a moment as he ran his fingers in his vest pocket, seeking a match.

"Say, I'm a good one, ain't I?" he demanded, forgetting his grammar absolutely.

"What's the matter now?" asked Hal.

"Matter is that I can never keep a match. Have you got one?"

"Fortunately for you, I have," said Chester. "I don't carry them, as a rule, having no use for them, but I chanced to find a box of safety matches to-day."

He reached in his pocket and produced the box; and as he did so the little black pea rolled from his pocket. It rolled toward Stubbs and the little man caught it. He would have returned it to Chester, but as he started to do so he took a close look at it. He gave a sudden start and the box of matches Chester had extended to him dropped to the floor even as his fingers would have closed on it.

"H-m-m-m," he muttered to himself. "I wonder. I suppose it would be a great thing. I wonder."

Stubbs picked up the box of matches and proceeded to light his pipe with deliberation.

"Well, now that you have that pipe puffing," said Hal, "what's the rest of this story of yours?"

"On second thought," said Stubbs calmly, "I have decided to keep it to myself."

"You're not going to tell us?" demanded Chester.

"No," said Stubbs. "By the way, here's your black pea," for Chester had not noticed that he had dropped it.

"Thanks," said Chester, taking the pea and dropping it in his pocket, "I wouldn't want to lose it."

"No, I guess not," said Stubbs mysteriously. "Pretty scarce articles. I don't suppose you could find another one in some distance."

"Oh, yes, you could," said Hal. "I have one myself."

"That so?" said Stubbs, and added to himself: "I thought so, but I wanted to make sure."

Hal produced his black pea. Stubbs examined it carefully and pa.s.sed it back to him.

"Better keep it in a safe place," he said. "As I say, they are scarce and it never does a fellow any good to lose anything when there is anyone around."

Hal and Chester started guiltily. How could Stubbs know they had found the peas when they fell from the pocket of Jules Clemenceau? Stubbs, who had been watching the two closely, observed these sudden starts and interpreted them to his own satisfaction.

"Come now, Stubbs," said Chester, "tell us the rest of this story of yours."

"No," said Stubbs, "I am going to keep it to myself." He added under his breath: "The young cubs! Trying to pump an old-timer like me to see how much I know!"

"You mean you are not even going to tell the general?" asked Hal.

"That's what I mean," said Stubbs.

Hal and Chester exchanged glances. They wondered what had come over the little man so suddenly. Stubbs caught the interchange of glances and again he read it wrong. To Stubbs it appeared that there was relief on their features.

Stubbs shook his head.

"I'm going to turn in," he said.

Not another word could the lads get out of him, try as they would. But Stubbs, on his cot, did not sleep immediately. Covertly he watched the two lads as they talked in tones too low for him to hear, strain his ears as he would.

"Well, I guess I don't need to hear 'em," he told himself. "I can guess what it's all about."

He rolled over and went to sleep.

But the nature of the lads' conversation was a whole lot different from what Stubbs thought it was, though it concerned the little man himself.

"Something wrong with him," said Chester.

"Right you are," agreed Hal. "Talks like we had offended him or something."

"Maybe he just wants to keep us guessing."

"That might be it. Anyhow, if he doesn't tell us to-morrow, I'm going to tell him what I think of him."

"Then he won't talk," said Chester.

"We might be able to get him mad enough to make him talk," returned Hal.