CHAPTER XVIII
STUBBS REFUSES TO EXPLAIN
With two bounds the little man covered the distance to Hal's side andbent over. Quickly he placed a hand across Hal's mouth and whispered:
"Sh-h-h. Not so loud!"
Hal shook his head free--his hands were tied--and exclaimed:
"So! This is the thanks we get from you, eh! Why, you little fat--"
"Names won't help any," said Anthony Stubbs, quietly. "I've got you hereand, as I told you, here you are going to stay until I arrange for yourtransportation back to the good old town where stands the _Gazette_."
"New York, eh?" said Chester. "But why, Stubbs, that's what I want toknow. Come on, be a good fellow and tell us what this is all about."
"If I wasn't so sure you know, I might be tempted to do so," said Stubbs."But you do know and there is no need to ask me again. I refuse."
"But I tell you, Stubbs, we don't know," declared Hal. "What's gone wrongwith you? Are you in the employ of the Kaiser?"
"Not by a long shot," was the answer. "That's one reason I want to getyou away from here. I want to see the Kaiser licked properly."
"You don't mean to insinuate--"
"That you are aiding the Kaiser?" Stubbs broke in. "I guess not. But youknow as well as I do that with you here something is sure to go wrong. Nosir. You've got to go back to the old U.S.A. and you're going to go if itlies in my power to get you there."
"By Jove!" said Chester, suddenly. "I know the answer."
"Well, you're a good guesser if you do," said Hal, dryly. "Let's hearit."
"Uncle John is the answer," declared Chester. "In some manner he haslearned we are here; he has come up from Italy and bribed Stubbs to getus sent home."
"By Jove!" exclaimed Hal. "Is that it, Stubbs?"
Stubbs grinned at them.
"Come," he said, "I'm too old to be fooled with such innocence as that.You know what you're here for and that's all there is about it. Now I'mgoing to arrange for your removal."
"Stubbs," said Hal, quietly, "I wonder if you could guess what Ithink of you?"
"I'm afraid I could," returned the little man seriously. "But now let meask you something. Do you remember, not so many nights ago, that I toldyou both that if ever you found me doing something you didn't approve of,I would be doing it for your own good--because I am fond of you? Do youremember that?"
"You bet I remember it," declared Hal; "and all I've got to say is thatif you call this thing for our own good you're mightily mistaken. If wedon't report to General Petain to-morrow morning we're likely to be courtmartialed."
"Oh, no, you're not," said Stubbs.
"Oh, yes we are."
"I say you're not."
"Say," said Hal, "you talk like you knew something about it."
"I do," returned Stubbs.
"Well, Stubbs," interposed Chester, "if you are bent on showing yourfondness for us in this manner all right; but I want to say that, for mypart, you can take all your affection and go hang with it."
"Same here," growled Hal.
"I'm sorry you feel that way about it, boys," said Stubbs, seriously,"but I know that some time you will forgive me. Of course, you areangry now because I have spoiled your plans, but some time you willoverlook it."
"But where do you come in for all this fairy godfather stuff, Stubbs?"demanded Chester. "What iron have you in the fire? You've got some reasonbesides just trying to keep us out of trouble, now haven't you?"
"Why, yes, I have," was Stubbs' quiet reply.
"I thought so. Would you mind telling me what it is?"
"I've already told you. I want to see the Kaiser properly licked."
Chester was about to make an angry retort; then changed his mind and gavea snort of pure disgust.
"Stubbs," said Hal, "I know what it's all about. If I ask you a questionwill you answer it?"
"Depends on the question," was the reply. "Let's hear it."
"Well, here it is, and I think it's the answer to the whole thing: Areyou crazy?"
Stubbs gave a snort.
"Crazy!" he shouted. "No, I'm not crazy! Who says I'm crazy?"
"I do, Stubbs," declared Hal.
"And I agree with him," exclaimed Chester.
The little war correspondent became suddenly very angry. He stamped upand down the tent muttering to himself. Then he whirled on the lads.
"You make me tired!" he exclaimed. "Here I've gone and got myself in amess just to keep you two out of trouble and what thanks do I get for it?You say I'm crazy! Why, you ought to bow down and thank me for doing whatI am doing. You both make me sick."
"Well, we're not going to do any bowing down to you, Stubbs," said Hal;"but there is one thing I'll promise you."
"What's that?" demanded Stubbs, eagerly.
"That, Mr. Stubbs," said Hal, "is a good first-class thrashing when I gethold of you again."
"Guess we had better make it two," declared Chester. "Remember he's gotme here with you, Hal."
"All right, Chester. We'll make it a double-handed affair. Hearthat, Stubbs?"
Stubbs snapped his fingers at them.
"You can do what you please when you get free," he declared. "But I'mgoing to make it a point to see that you don't get free on this side ofthe English Channel. Now, good-night."
The little man turned, ordered his men out ahead of him and disappearedfrom the tent.
For some moments Hal and Chester lay silent without a word. Then Halsaid:
"Chester, if you can tell me what's at the bottom of all this, I'll giveyou a million dollars."
"If you had the million, Hal, you'd lose."
"You don't mean to tell me--"
"Of course I know. I thought you did by this time. There are two thingsat the bottom of this and they are--two little black peas!"
"Well, by Jove!" said Hal, "and to think I didn't get that through myhead sooner. Then you think these peas--"
"Yes; there is some kind of a conspiracy brewing and Stubbs thinks wehave a hand in it. Whatever it is, he's against it. You remember how heshut up in the middle of his tale that night when he first saw the peasin our possession?"
"By Jove! That's so!"
"Sure; but have you any idea what the conspiracy may be?"
"Not the slightest; but if we can get out of here we'll have a look. Weknow one of the band, I think."
"You mean?"
"Jules Clemenceau. I don't suppose he ever missed the two peas. Heprobably had more. At the first opportunity we'll display our peas wherehe can see them and then maybe he will say something that will tip us offwhere to look next."
"Not a bad idea; but he seems to be so young to be mixed up insuch a thing."
"He's no younger than we are; and we've been mixed up in a whole lotof things."
"That's so, too. I would like to know, though, what this plot is. I don'tbelieve it has anything to do with treachery."
"Depends upon what you mean by treachery. I suppose you mean nothing thatwill aid the Germans to defeat us?"
"Exactly; then, too, don't you remember, when Stubbs was telling us aboutthe conspiracy, that he said he had reason to believe there were plottersin the German ranks as well as the British and French?"
"He didn't say it just that way, I think, but I remember what you mean.By Jove! I wonder what it can all be about?"
"Well, it's too deep for me; and unless something happens, I am halfafraid Stubbs may be as good as his word and have us sent back toNew York."
"By George! We can't stand for that."
"I should say not. See if you can wiggle your hands loose."
Hal tried. So did Chester.
"They did a pretty fair job, if you ask me," said the latter.
"I should say they did. However, we'll keep trying. Something may give.Perseverance is a great medicine, you know."
And they did keep trying; but here was one place where it seemed thatperseverance was about to fail. An hour's tugging at their bonds failedto loosen them to any
noticeable degree.
"I guess it's no use, Chester," said Hal.
"I'm not having much luck, either," was Chester's reply.
They took a brief rest and then fell to tugging at their bonds again. Butthey had no better luck than before.
"Well, it's no use," said Chester at last. "I'm going to sleep."
Hal was also forced to admit that he was unable to loosen his own bondsand he followed Chester's example and sought repose.
How long they slept neither knew, but both were awakened by a hand ontheir shoulders. Looking up in the darkness the lads saw a form bendingover them. They could not distinguish the features.
"Hello!" said Hal, in a whisper. "We have company, Chester."
"So we have," was the latter's reply. "Wonder what he wants?"
The figure in the darkness explained his presence in the tent in afew words.
"Come with me!" he whispered.
"Can't. We're tied up," said Hal.
"I have unloosened your bonds," said the voice in a whisper. "Come, andmake no noise."
The lads found that their deliverer had told the truth. They were nolonger bound. They got to their feet and followed him from the tent. Theyhad not recognized the voice that had called them; but as they passedwithout, Hal caught sight of the man's features.
"Jules Clemenceau!" he exclaimed.