“The old scoundrel!” cried Archie, greatly shocked.
“We mustn’t allow this, boys,” said Joe, with decision.
“Why, it strikes me we’re in rather bad shape to interfere,” I suggested, regretfully.
“We must interfere,” declared Archie. “We got these girls into this trouble by our rashness, and we must get ’em out of it again.”
“We’ve also got ourselves into trouble,” I reminded him.
“That doesn’t make any difference,” said Joe. “We’re men and they’re just girls, and helpless in this heathen country. We’ve got to hunt up Mai Lo and stop this little game before it’s too late. If we can’t save the treasure and the girls both, let the treasure go to blazes!”
Nor Ghai looked at him gratefully, and Archie gave him a sounding whack on the shoulder.
“Where is the governor?” I asked the girl.
“I know not. But Ko-Tua, she run away and come to me, with Mai Mou. They in my harem now.”
“Why, that’s better than finding the governor,” I said. “Don’t let them go home again, Nor Ghai.”