“Oh, there’s a reward all right. This fellow got away when we were bagging the rest. I had a hard chase after him, and I wanted to catch him, as he’s one of the ring-leaders. But what are you doing here; on the lookout for some more of the Chinks?”
“No, we’re searching for a queer cave where Fenn, one of these boys here, was kept a prisoner. There have been some strange goings on in these parts, and I’d like to get at the bottom of them. I thought maybe the smugglers had a hand in it.”
At the mention of the cave, concerning which Mr. Hayward gave the government officer a few details, as Fenn had related them to him, the Chinese captive seemed suddenly interested. When Mr. Hayward told how they had so far, conducted a baffling search, for the entrance, the Celestial exclaimed:
“Me show you.”
“What does he mean?” asked Mr. Hayward.
“Blessed if I know,” answered the officer. “What’s that, John?”
“Me show hole in glound. Me know. Clum that way,” and he pointed a short distance up the lake.
“Do you suppose he knows where the entrance is?” asked Mr. Hayward.
“Shouldn’t wonder,” replied the detective. “Those Chinks know more than they’ll tell. Probably he knows the game is up, and he may think, if he plays into our hands, he’ll get off easier.”
“That’s lite!” exclaimed the Chinese with a grin. “Me turn state’s evidence. Me know. Me show you.”