"Iverything's all roight, so far as I can see," he reported, coming back to his comrades, "but divil another card do I play this noight. To yer posts, iviry wan o' ye, an' we'll kape our eyes peeled. Th' leftinnint an' Motor Matt sail in thot machine to-morrow, an' there's a rumor thot Siwash Charley was seen in Divil's Lake City th' day. Cut out th' card playin', b'ys. We've done too much of it already."
In the shadow of the woods, three men were carrying a senseless Chinaman.
"Let's toss him inter the lake, Siwash," suggested one of the men.
"What's the good, hey?" answered Siwash. "We'll rope an' gag him. He'll not be found till too late, an' mebby he'll never be found."
"But if he saw you, an' recognized who ye was——"
"He didn't; he didn't have time. Put the ropes on him. Twist a cloth into a gag, Pete."
"The lot o' us would swing fer this if it's ever found out," demurred Pete.
Ping opened his eyes before the scoundrels had left him. He recognized Siwash Charley by his voice, and he saw his face by a ray of moonlight that drifted in among the trees.
Ping tried to cry out, but his lips were sealed; and he tried to use his hands and feet, but found them bound.
With an inward groan, he sank back and the night of unconsciousness once more rolled over him.