Powerful springs had opened the two heavy slabs of oak that formed the table. Two pieces now stood open like a pair of doors and within lay a long, flat box which completely filled the space. The box was of iron, heavily barred and padlocked. Four soldiers pried it from its place and, escorted by the whole party, it was carried to General Pershing, still working at his desk. Once more the boys had unearthed a mystery. CHAPTER II THE CELLAR’S SECRET Porky and Beany were too tired to care what happened next and, taking quick advantage of a brief smile and nod of dismissal from the General, they made their way to their quarters and soon were as sound asleep as though they were lying on the softest down. They slept and slept, losing all track of time, and by the General’s orders were undisturbed. When they finally woke, really wide awake, they found that a whole day and a night had passed since the early dawn when they had staggered off to bed. They woke at the same instant, as was their habit, and sitting bolt upright, stared unblinkingly at the young officer sitting at the window writing. “Morning, Lieutenant,” said Porky, rubbing his eyes. “What’s the time, sir?” said Beany, looking curiously at his wrist watch. “Yours stopped too?” asked Porky. “Mine has. Funny!” “Not so very funny,” said Lieutenant Parker, closing his writing tablet. “You have been asleep since yesterday morning, and I imagine the watches ran down.” “Yesterday morning!” gasped Porky. “Why didn’t some one call us?” “General’s orders,” said the Lieutenant. He laughed, “Gee, I wish he would order _me_ to bed for a week. You can bet I would go!” “Well, it makes me mad to sleep like this,” said Porky in irritation. “What all have we missed, anyhow?” “Nothing much,” said the Lieutenant. “The biggest drive of the war is on and to-morrow General Pershing with his staff will make the trip along the front line trenches. I hope he counts me in on that.” “You liked to be in the trenches, didn’t you?” asked Porky, stooping to lace his puttees. “You are right I did,” said Lieutenant Parker, wrinkling his smooth young forehead. “I came over to fight, and it was just my luck to get this measly scratch on my head, and blamed if they didn’t put me here in this office doing paper work!” “Well, you got to give your skull time to get well, haven’t you?” asked Beany. “It was cracked, wasn’t it?” “No, just a piece scooped out of it,” said the Lieutenant in a bored tone.