Hans shook his head.
Then explanations settled the trouble. A man from the submarine had met another at the trader's store. Hans, in his anxiety to hear what was being said, had crawled in behind a counter, near the safe, and had been discovered there.
The event had created no little excitement in the town, for the chase through the street had been witnessed by and participated in by about half the population. To satisfy the Englishman, Hans was searched, and nothing found. Then Ned asked him a question:
"Where did the submarine people go?"
"Back to their boat," was the prompt reply.
"And the man who met them there?"
"He went with them."
"Where did the latter come from?"
"From Hongkong, he said."
"How long ago?"