"Well, you should have thought of it," exclaimed General Petain. "It's no small thing to cast suspicion upon a man and then be able to prove nothing."
"But the peas—"
"Never mind about the peas," stormed the general. "By any chance, when you had these officers in your tent last night, did they admit connection with the plot?"
"No, sir; they professed ignorance. But they had the peas—"
"Mon Dieu! Can't you think of anything but peas? What kind of a war correspondent are you, anyhow?"
Stubbs was offended. He drew himself up and would have made reply, but
General Petain silenced him with a gesture.
"I don't question your loyalty," he said, "and I know that you acted with the good of these lads at heart. But I am convinced you have been mistaken. I am going to release these boys. Lieutenant Paine! Lieutenant Crawford! you are—"
"Sir!" exclaimed Stubbs at this juncture.
The general eyed him closely.
"Well?" he demanded.