“We intend to see that he doesn’t rob the Ancestral Halls and run away with the treasure. For that reason we may remain your guests longer than would be required to execute the orders of Prince Kai, who greatly feared that Mai Lo would rob his ancestors.”
“You shall remain as long as it pleases you,” returned Wi-to, with sparkling eyes. “And you may call upon me and all my followers to assist you, in case the renegade governor tries to escape you.”
“Thanks; that was just what we expected,” I exclaimed.
Then, feeling well satisfied with our interview and our tour of inspection, we left the Chief Eunuch and returned to our own rooms.
“Do you think it wise to harp on the subject of Mai Lo’s robbing the Ancestral Halls?” asked Joe, when we were where we could not be overheard.
“Why isn’t it wise?” I asked.
“Why, the Chief Eunuch may get suspicious that something is up.”
“I want him to get suspicious of Mai Lo, and watch that old fox so carefully that he won’t get a chance to steal anything until we get through. Besides, it will relieve us of any suspicions. Wi thinks it’s impossible for us to get to the burial vaults, because our enemy the governor guards all entrances. And he’s crafty enough to believe that we wouldn’t talk about robbing the Ancestral Halls if we had any idea of doing it ourselves.”
“Sam’s right,” declared Archie.
“I think so, too,” acknowledged Joe. “But I began to fear we were overdoing the thing. Our talk about the orders of Prince Kai worked all right, didn’t it?”