For perhaps fifteen minutes the
lads stood there, firmly erect, their eyes upon the general.
Suddenly General Petain wheeled about.
"Leave these men with me," he instructed the French officer who
had escorted the lads to his tent; "but attend me outside within
call, Captain."
The French officer saluted and withdrew.
General Petain gazed frowningly at Hal and Chester for perhaps a full
minute. The lads returned his look without flinching, though there was
nothing that might be construed as defiance in their manner; rather,
nothing but respectful attention.
"So!" said General Petain at last. "So! I find you two lads, whom I have
trusted, among a band of conspirators, eh?"
"Among them, sir," said Hal, quietly, "but not of them."
"What's that?" demanded the general. "You admit you were with them and
then claim innocence? Impossible!"
"I beg your pardon, sir," said Hal, "but it is not impossible. It is
the truth."
"But I have it on high authority," returned the general, "that you have
been the possessors of the emblem of the conspirators for some days now."
"That is true enough, sir," Hal agreed; "but we came into the possession
of those black peas accidentally and with no thought of their
significance.
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