Part 6 (1/2)
”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.