“Well, we won’t ask you anything more, Hoki,” said Chot, finally.
“I thanks make, sir.”
“But you must stand watch with me till midnight.”
“Oh, no, sir; I protest that—”
“Protesting will do no good. If we agree not to question you, you must, in turn, agree to aid us all you can without betraying your master.”
The Jap said nothing more, but wandered around with a scared look on his face. From the top to the bottom of the house, he went, now pacing restlessly up and down the big hall, now climbing the stairs to the upper floor, then down again and on to the verandah.
“I’m afraid Hoki will bear watching,” said Chot, who had been observing his movements.
“I don’t believe he’d attempt any violence,” said Tom.
“No; on the contrary, I believe he likes us and would be glad to help us. But something frightens him and makes him hold his tongue. Mr. Lawrence, for instance, may have sworn him to secrecy on some sacred Japanese oath, which Hoki would rather die than break. I have heard of such things.”
“If he’d only tell us what he knows of Bert’s disappearance, I wouldn’t ask him a thing about his master,” said Fleet.