"What dlese?" he demanded.
"I can't see to read," growled Ed.
The Chinaman settled that, too.
Producing an electric flash lantern, he turned it on the papers.
Ed now saw that these were pension rolls for the Albany district, dating back ten years.
He was familiar with them, for his father, as we have said, was employed in the pension office and handled just such rolls.
Ed tried to explain, and the Chinaman seemed to understand.
"When you fishee dlis up you see noder box dlown dlere in water?" he demanded.
"No," replied Ed.
"Boy, you tellee big lie. Lookee out! Me shootee you! Me tlow you overboard—see?"