He reached in his pocket and produced the box; and as he did so the little black pea rolled from his pocket. It rolled toward Stubbs and the little man caught it. He would have returned it to Chester, but as he started to do so he took a close look at it. He gave a sudden start and the box of matches Chester had extended to him dropped to the floor even as his fingers would have closed on it.
"H-m-m-m," he muttered to himself. "I wonder. I suppose it would be a great thing. I wonder."
Stubbs picked up the box of matches and proceeded to light his pipe with deliberation.
"Well, now that you have that pipe puffing," said Hal, "what's the rest of this story of yours?"
"On second thought," said Stubbs calmly, "I have decided to keep it to myself."
"You're not going to tell us?" demanded Chester.
"No," said Stubbs. "By the way, here's your black pea," for Chester had not noticed that he had dropped it.
"Thanks," said Chester, taking the pea and dropping it in his pocket, "I wouldn't want to lose it."
"No, I guess not," said Stubbs mysteriously. "Pretty scarce articles. I don't suppose you could find another one in some distance."
"Oh, yes, you could," said Hal. "I have one myself."