It was a strange find. First to come across a Chinese and an American, in excited conversation in the depths of the woods, and then to discover a pile of clothes, such as are worn by white men, close to a heap, evidently discarded by a band of Celestials, was sufficient, as Bart said, to beat not only the Dutch, but the French, English, German, Spanish and a few other nations.
The boys went closer to the garments of the Celestials. These clothes, as did the others, exhibited unmistakable signs of wear. But they were not piled in orderly heaps; instead, being tossed carelessly together, as if they were no longer of any service.
“Isn’t this a regular Chinese puzzle?” remarked Ned.
“I believe they are Chinese smugglers!” chorused Fenn and Bart.
“That’s what,” said Frank. “Those two men we saw were evidently the look-outs, watching for the boat load to arrive. When the travelers from the Flowery Kingdom land, they are brought here, to this secluded place, and here they take off their blouses and wide pants, and put on old American clothes. Old ones, so they attract no attention. I’ll wager that’s the solution to this Chinese puzzle.”
“But where do the Chinamen come from?” asked Ned. “We’re a good ways from China.”
“From Canada,” answered Frank. “I remember reading lately about a lot of Chinese who were taken into Canada from the Pacific coast. They were brought by rail to a place on Lake Superior about opposite here, and smuggled into this country in boats.”
“That’s right,” agreed Bart. “I read how one boat load, which the smugglers were bringing over, was caught in a storm, and all the Chinese drowned.”
“But why do they bring them over?” asked Fenn, who was usually too full of fun, or too interested in some girl, to pay much attention to current events.
“Why, there’s a United States law against letting any more Chinese come in,” explained Frank. “The only way they can get in is to smuggle here. It’s easy to get them into Canada, and then, if they can make a trip across the lake, and land in some secluded spot, they’re all right, if they’re not discovered, and that is no easy matter, as the Chinese all look so much alike.”