"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 mean the one he won't talk about," said Chester with a smile. "All
right. Go ahead. I'll take a little snooze."

He rolled over on his side as Hal left the tent.

How long Chester slept he did not know, but it was dark in the tent when
he opened his eyes.

"Wonder what can be keeping Hal?" he muttered to himself.