"And why," asked Frank, "have you brought me here?" This was the question he had long been burning to ask.
Ling shrugged his shoulders.
"You may have deceived me," said he, "but I am not altogether a fool."
And that, apparently, was all the reply he would condescend to give.
"I fail to understand," said Frank.
"Then you are very dense. Let me enlighten you: in a few hours, twenty thousand dollars will be hidden in this place. That money is intended for Cheong-Chau. Cheong-Chau will not receive a cent."
As he said these words, he rolled the stone back into its place.
"Cheong-Chau's junk lies up-stream," he continued, once again as if speaking to himself. "He had ten men with him. He took three with him to Ah Wu's opium den. Of those three, I have accounted for one at least, and I do not think the man I struck down with the lamp will be fit to fight for many a day. In any case, neither those three men nor Cheong-Chau himself are here. There are therefore only seven on board the junk. It is now about three o'clock in the morning. Six of those seven men are sound asleep. I propose to take the junk by storm."
"You mean," said Frank, "that you will do this--single-handed?"
"I have this," said Ling. "If necessary, I shall use it."