"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."