“For one thing, I questioned him closely as to the possibilities for making a landing on the seaward side of Santa Cruz. He said there was only one place really practical, and that was the mouth of a creek near the western extremity of the island. At other places, he said, cliffs descended abruptly to the
sea, and the waves always were high. Boats could not safely land.
“Now, if the smugglers are on Santa Cruz Island that must be their location—up that creek. The ships can stand off shore, while small boats ply back and forth between the ship and the creek, landing the smuggled Chinese coolies. Probably, somewhere up the creek, the smugglers have a number of rude barracks, providing temporary shelter for the Chinese until they can be dispersed to the mainland. Also their radio plant must be up there.”
He paused, and Frank eagerly asked the question trembling on the lips of all three chums.
“You said you had a proposition to make us, Inspector?”
The Secret Service man smiled.
“Yes, I have a proposition,” he said. “Briefly, would you care to accompany us tonight on an expedition to Santa Cruz?”
“Would we?”
All three expelled the exclamation simultaneously.
Inspector Burton turned to Mr. Temple.