From where was the man speaking?
The sound of his voice seemed to be from above.
At the beginning of it Harry shut off his flash light and they had been standing there in the dark, but now he turned it on again and flashed it around.
There was no one to be seen. He could see no opening in the ceiling overhead.
"Hide and seek! You can't find me!" cried the voice with a chuckle. "Say, Lungy, old man. I know why you were so stuck on marrying Skeep Hup. I know her secret! Did you think I'd sell out for any $5,000? No, not for five times five. I'm out for bigger game."
"Has she betrayed the secret to you?" cried Ah Lung quickly.
There was no answer.
Again and again the merchant repeated the demand, but it was just the same until all at once the voice fairly shouted:
"Now, Ah Lung, I've got you! It was myself who kidnapped your princess! The secret of Gong Schow's hidden treasure is mine. Now you die!"
As he spoke these ominous words three shots were fired in quick succession through some hole in the ceiling.