"How are we going to get to Gardenville?" demanded Pardo. "If we take the Iris——?"
"We won't."
"If we walk——"
"We won't do that, either. We'll take an automobile. It may be, too, that our motor cycles will come in handy. You go down to the bank, Pardo, signal the yacht, and have Pierson bring the two machines ashore. While you're about that, Bunce and I will visit the garage and borrow a fast machine. You know these hills?"
"As well as I do my two hands."
"On your way to the Iris I'll give you something to leave at the hotel for Motor Matt."
Grattan did some more scribbling on a blank sheet of his notebook; then, tearing out the sheet, he wrapped it around a small object and placed both in a little box with a sliding cover.
"They may recognize me at the hotel," protested Pardo.
"I don't think so. It will do me good to have you leave this, anyhow. I don't want Motor Matt to think that I was fooled very long by that bogus ruby. If we're quick, Pardo, we're going to catch Tsan Ti before he can leave Gardenville. And when we nab the mandarin we secure the ruby."
Grattan was a master rogue, and not the least of his shining abilities was his readiness in adjusting himself to changing circumstances.