“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 passed 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.”