racy of some kind?"

"I can," said Stubbs, "but I won't. It's my belief that there is
something wrong with both of you. What would I know about a conspiracy?"

"That's what I would like to know," returned Chester, from his cot.
"If you won't tell us, I've a notion to tell General Petain what
you told us."

"I wouldn't if I were you," said Stubbs. "It wouldn't do you any
good. He probably would think your wound had affected your mind.
That's what I think."

"Oh, no you don't," said Hal. "You are just trying to keep the thing to
yourself, whatever it is. Maybe you're going to slip it by the censor to
the _Gazette_, eh?"

Stubbs made no reply.

"If I thought that, I would tell General Petain," declared Chester.

"It must be a great thing to have such imaginations," said Stubbs with
something like a sigh. "Some of these days, if you like, I'll get you
both jobs on the _Gazette_."

"Now look here, Stubbs," said Hal. "Laying all joking aside, are you
going to tell us about this thing or not?"

"What thing?" demanded Stubbs.

"By George!" ejaculated Hal in exasperation. "You're the limit, Stubbs."

"Sure I am," was the little man's smiling response. "Otherwise, I
wouldn't be in this tent with you."

"Stubbs," said Chester, a sudden idea striking him, "have we done
something you don't like?"

"You have," was Stubbs' reply.

"By Jove!" said Hal. "We're sorry for that, Stubbs. We apologize. Will
you tell us what we've done?"

Stubbs looked at the lad with a peculiar smile on his face. He was silent
several moments before replying:

"You don't know, eh?"

"Of course not."

Stubbs shrugged his shoulders and started out of the tent.

"Say!" Chester called after him, "are you going to tell us or not?"

"Not!" said Stubbs briefly, and was gone.

"Now what do you think of that?" demanded Chester of his chum.

"There's something wrong with him," was Hal's reply. "I haven't any idea
what it can be."

"Suppose it is because we were poking fun at him the other night?"

"I don't know. I don't believe he would take a thing like that to heart.
However, you can't tell."

"Anyhow," said Chester, "we're not likely to find out what it's all about
until he gets good and ready to tell us."

"You're right, there," returned Hal. "He can be as mum as an oyster when
he wants to. Well, old boy, I'll leave you alone now and go out and look
around a bit. Maybe I can stumble on this conspiracy Stubbs talks about."

"You