In a moment Ben drew his chum to one side.
“There’s something strange about that Chink,” he said, when they were out of hearing of their strange guest. “He’s not as stupid or as ignorant as he would have us believe. And he never stumbled on us by chance, either! How does the idea strike you?”
“There is no doubt in my mind that the fellow is disguised in manner and speech if not in person,” Carl replied. “For all we know, he may be one of the leaders of the smuggling gang.”
“Then why should the bunch we found in the cavern tie him up?” asked Ben. “You remember the shape in which he was found?”
“I guess we’ll have to decide that we don’t know anything about it!” Carl replied. “We only know that we stirred up a nest of Chinamen, and that they ran away from us like rats. We don’t know where they went to either, although we may have time to find out later on.”
“We might have learned something more concerning the combination right there,” Ben grumbled, “only for the second beacon light and the schooner. Of course we couldn’t remain there with a new bunch of smuggled Celestials swarming about our ears.”
“We don’t know yet whether that schooner landed any Chinamen or not!” suggested Carl. “We had to duck away so fast that we couldn’t see what took place. I wish we’d kept in the air long enough to find out!”
“I don’t wish anything of the kind!” Ben declared. “Daylight was coming on and Mr. Havens told us to keep out of the air except during the night. After we round up Phillips and Mendoza, we may take a throw at the smugglers.”
“Perhaps Jimmie has gone over to the coast now,” suggested Carl.
“Much good it will do him!” grumbled Ben, “with that outlaw machine chasing him up! I’m afraid the boy has got us into serious trouble,” he added, “though I’m sure he meant everything for the best!”