"I caught it the minute that rain-maker over at the hospital asked me what I ate for dinner," declared Bob. "He gave me a queer look when I told him 'no pudding' and made a note of it. I was going to mention it to you, then I thought I'd wait and let you figure it out." "Then they must know it already at headquarters," asserted Jimmy. "Sure they know it," nodded Bob. "Whatever was left of that rice pudding is under chemical analysis by this time. They have to act quickly in a case like this." "Iggy may pull through all right." Jimmy brightened. "He only ate one spoonful of the stuff. I was watching him. He tried it and said: 'No taste nothin'.' Then he didn't touch it again. I know, 'cause right afterward we all beat it out of the mess hall. What about Simpson, though? I can see him yet, and hear him groan." Simpson had been the first man to collapse. "Poor fellow." Roger's tones vibrated with intense sympathy. "He's a fine man and a splendid soldier. I've been expecting every day to see him jump to corporal. Now----" He paused, reluctant to voice his doubt of Simpson's recovery. "It might turn out not to be poison, you know," said Bob reflectively. "Somebody may have dosed the pudding with something that would make the men deathly sick and yet not finish 'em. Only hope that's the case. This will raise some ructions here in camp, believe me. Every one of those guys in the mess kitchen'll be held for a third degree. No one's supposed to have anything to do with the grub but them. Yet they might all be as innocent as babies. Some fiend may have doctored the rice or the milk before it ever struck camp." Wise in the ways of the newspaper world, Bob was already full of plausible theories concerning the dreadful affair. "Suppose it was poison, nobody could accuse a man on kitchen detail unless pretty good proof of it came up against him," stoutly asserted Roger. "They'll grill the whole bunch to a standstill. If any one of 'em shows the least sign of guilt--Bing! Into the jug he goes for trial by a court martial. If he's found guilty, Bang! Porous!" "I don't believe a man in this camp would do such a horrible thing!" Jimmy's voice rang with intense loyalty. "We hope not," gravely rejoined Bob. "You can never tell, though. This whole country's honey-combed with spies and myrmidons of the Central Powers. The Secret Service has run down more of 'em than anyone can guess at. I know of a few things from being on the _Chronicle_. Sometimes I've thought we're all asleep over here. But we're waking up. Too bad it took us so long to do it." "Gee, but I'm glad Iggy went off kitchen duty before this happened! Missed it by only two days!" "Just in time to get doped, instead of getting hauled up for doping," retorted Bob. "It's about as bad one way as the other."