“Your Chinaman tried to light a cigarette,” answered the young motorist, quick to reason out the cause of what had happened. “He was under an auxiliary gasoline reservoir, and the match set it off.”
“Thunder, Bob!” exclaimed Gaines, who had dropped down below after Glennie, “there hasn’t been any gasoline in that tank for a month.”
“The vapor was there, all the same.”
“Nonsense!” exclaimed Glennie. “Vapor wouldn’t stay in that tank for a month. It would escape and find its way out.”
“Gasoline vapor is heavier than air,” said Bob; “and it would remain indefinitely at the bottom of the reservoir. A little of it probably leaked through the bottom of the feed pipe, so that the match set it off. Luckily for the chink there wasn’t very much of it.”
“Gee, klismus!” babbled Ah Sin. “Me tly smokee, something go boom! No likee devil boat!”
“Have you any more cigarettes?” demanded Bob sharply.
Ah Sin dug a handful out of the breast of his blouse.
“Is that all?” demanded Bob.