CHAPTER XVIII
STUBBS REFUSES TO EXPLAIN
With two bounds the little man covered the distance to Hal's side and bent 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 here and, as I told you, here you are going to stay until I arrange for your transportation back to the good old town where stands the Gazette."
"New York, eh?" said Chester. "But why, Stubbs, that's what I want to know. 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 wrong with you? Are you in the employ of the Kaiser?"
"Not by a long shot," was the answer. "That's one reason I want to get you 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 you know as well as I do that with you here something is sure to go wrong. No sir. You've got to go back to the old U.S.A. and you're going to go if it lies 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 hear it."
"Uncle John is the answer," declared Chester. "In some manner he has learned we are here; he has come up from Italy and bribed Stubbs to get us 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'm going to arrange for your removal."
"Stubbs," said Hal, quietly, "I wonder if you could guess what I think of you?"
"I'm afraid I could," returned the little man seriously. "But now let me ask you something. Do you remember, not so many nights ago, that I told you 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 you remember that?"
"You bet I remember it," declared Hal; "and all I've got to say is that if you call this thing for our own good you're mightily mistaken. If we don't report to General Petain to-morrow morning we're likely to be court martialed."
"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 your fondness for us in this manner all right; but I want to say that, for my part, 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 are angry now because I have spoiled your plans, but some time you will overlook 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 reason besides 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 gave a snort of pure disgust.
"Stubbs," said Hal, "I know what it's all about. If I ask you a question will 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: Are you 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 up and 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 a
mess 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 what
I 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 get hold of you again."
"Guess we had better make it two," declared Chester. "Remember he's got me here with you, Hal."
"All right, Chester. We'll make it a double-handed affair. Hear that, Stubbs?"
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.
"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 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 passed without, Hal caught sight of the man's features.
"Jules Clemenceau!" he exclaimed.