But he came back again, and, looking at the villain he had played the trick on he said:
"You takee my tanglefoot and allee samee puttee in your pockee; me wantee."
As it was Roche who had appropriated the flask, the man shook his head and grinned.
"See here!" exclaimed the leader, angrily. "You ought to be satisfied that I didn't take more than the whisky. You've got your mouse, so go on and do your errand."
"Oh!" cried Hop, his face lighting up. "Now me know. You takee um tanglefoot, and lis man takee my mousee! He allee samee gottee in um pockee."
Instinctively the outlaw put his hand in his pocket, and the first thing his fingers came in contact with was the dead mouse.
He uttered a cry and pulled it out.
"Hip hi!" yelled Hop, as he ran for the mouth of the cave.
But the outlaw was just mad enough to run and catch him before he got to the curtain.
"Here," said Hop, "me givee you lis. Allee samee diamond ling inside. Lettee poor Chinee go!"