Stubbs snapped his fingers at them.

"You can do what you please when you get free," he declared. "But I'm going to make it a point to see that you don't get free on this side of the English Channel. Now, good-night."

The little man turned, ordered his men out ahead of him and disappeared from the tent.

For some moments Hal and Chester lay silent without a word. Then Hal said:

"Chester, if you can tell me what's at the bottom of all this, I'll give you 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 things at 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 my head sooner. Then you think these peas--"

"Yes; there is some kind of a conspiracy brewing and Stubbs thinks we have a hand in it. Whatever it is, he's against it. You remember how he shut up in the middle of his tale that night when he first saw the peas in 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. We know one of the band, I think."

"You mean?"

"Jules Clemenceau. I don't suppose he ever missed the two peas. He probably had more. At the first opportunity we'll display our peas where he can see them and then maybe he will say something that will tip us off where to look next."

"Not a bad idea; but he seems to be so young to be mixed up in such a thing."

"He's no younger than we are; and we've been mixed up in a whole lot of things."

"That's so, too. I would like to know, though, what this plot is. I don't believe it has anything to do with treachery."

"Depends upon what you mean by treachery. I suppose you mean nothing that will aid the Germans to defeat us?"

"Exactly; then, too, don't you remember, when Stubbs was telling us about the conspiracy, that he said he had reason to believe there were plotters in 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 half afraid Stubbs may be as good as his word and have us sent back to New 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 that perseverance was about to fail. An hour's tugging at their bonds failed to 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. But they 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 bonds and he followed Chester's example and sought repose.

How long they slept neither knew, but both were awakened by a hand on their shoulders. Looking up in the darkness the lads saw a form bending over them. They could not distinguish the features.

"h.e.l.lo!" 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 a few 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, and make no noise."

The lads found that their deliverer had told the truth. They were no longer bound. They got to their feet and followed him from the tent. They had not recognized the voice that had called them; but as they pa.s.sed without, Hal caught sight of the man's features.

"Jules Clemenceau!" he exclaimed.

CHAPTER XIX

THE CONSPIRATORS

Chester, who had been unable to catch a sight of their deliverer's face, was surprised.

"Great Scott! Jules," he exclaimed. "You have a knack of turning up in the nick of time."

"Sh-h-h!" whispered Jules. "No talk until we get away from here."