detached themselves from the group and hastened away in opposite
directions. Two more strolled toward the boys.

"What next?" asked Jimmie, in a whisper.

"Seems to me that our halting here indicates that there may be something
doing in this house," Ned replied. "Suppose we go in and ask some
ordinary question?"

"An' get kicked out!" grunted Jimmie.

"That will be all right, so long as they let us out at all," Ned replied
with a smile. "I just want to know why our stopping here excited the
Chinks who were watching us."

As Ned turned toward the house the little fellow caught him by the
sleeve and held him back.

"You look out," he said, "there's a snake in there, that black-eyed
snake who claimed to be Lieutenant Rae! Do you want him to know that we
are wise to his game?"

Ned turned and started away from the house, but there came a call from
the structure, and the next instant two men were running out to greet
him. More by gestures than by words they informed the boys that there
was a man in the house wished to see them.

In a moment they stood facing the man who had called himself Lieutenant
Rae. He advanced to meet them and pointed to chairs as they entered the
room.