"I wasn't after a gun," he said.
He opened his hand and in the palm Hal saw a little round object.
"Can you match that?" the man demanded.
Hal peered closer and made out the nature of the object in the man's hand.
"A black pea!" he exclaimed. "Yes, I can match it."
He thrust a hand in his pocket and produced a black pea, which not many days before had rolled from the pocket of Jules Clemenceau.
The stranger looked at it closely.
"All right," he said. He turned to Chester. "And you?" he demanded.
Chester's reply was to produce his black pea, which he exhibited to the man.
"Good!" said the stranger. "Follow me."