"Well, as he seems to think I have done him a favor, I am just going to
keep this. I guess he won't mind. I'll carry it as a pocket piece."

"Then I'll carry the mate to it," said Chester.

He put the little round pea in his pocket and Hal followed suit.

Although neither could possibly have suspected it, these two little peas
were to be the means of getting them into all kinds of trouble.

There was heavy fighting that day and when night fell it found the
Germans safely entrenched in the French second line trenches along a
seven-mile front. For some reason or other Hal and Chester did not get to
the front, their duties confining them close to General Petain's
headquarters. They were kept busy most of the day, however, and were
tired out when they returned to their own quarters late that night.

Ready as they were for bed, they consented to sit up a while and talk
with Stubbs, who announced that he had a wonderful tale to unfold.

"Well," said Stubbs, "I have discovered a strange thing. It's a big
thing and there are many men in the French army implicated in it. Most
likely in the British, too, and I know that it has touched the ranks of
the enemy."

"What is it, a conspiracy?" asked Chester.

"It is," said Stubbs, "and it's a whopper. I haven't been able to find
the names of any of the leaders and I wouldn't know what to do if I did
learn who they are. This one thing, rather than anything else, is likely