Part 22 (1/2)

”The c.h.i.n.ks didn't fight,” one of them said. ”They just threw knives and ran! We never hit one of them! Sheep, that's what they are! Just sheep!”

”Well,” Ned said, ”we've lost our chance on the road to Peking, the fellow we want having escaped, so we must go ahead and set the rat trap once more.”

”You'll walk if you do,” one of the marines said, showing from the outside, ”for the c.h.i.n.ks have made off with the motorcycles!”

CHAPTER XIV

SANDY PROVES HIS CASE

”They'll be dead if you don't get out of here an' do somethin'!” said Sandy. ”The c.h.i.n.ks'll eat 'em up!”

Frank looked around the dismal subterranean chamber and a cynical smile came to his lips.

”We might get out of here,” he said, ”if we had a ton of dynamite. I don't know but I'd take a chance on getting injured myself in order to see these c.h.i.n.ks sailing into the sky.”

Jack, still suspicious of Sandy, turned toward him with a frown. The lad met the other's eyes steadily.

”Do you know the way out of this?” Jack asked.

”No,” admitted the boy. ”Never was in here before. Never knew there was such a place.”

”Well,” Jack went on, ”the longer we remain here the longer we'll be in finding our chums. I'm going to make a break.”

”If you have a gun,” Sandy said, calmly, ”I'll go ahead with it. If I get plugged, or anythin' like that, you boys may be able to get away.

These c.h.i.n.ks are quick to run if there is danger ahead, and I think I can scare them off. Give me the gun!”

Sandy reached out his hand, but Frank did not extend the gun he had taken from his pocket.

”You're nervy, all right,” he said, ”but you don't have to take all the risk. Suppose we wait until daylight and then make a rush?”

”Why daylight?” asked Jack.

”There may then be some friendly face in sight, if we are able to get to the street.”

”There's force in that,” Jack replied, ”but this is no palace car to wait in.”

”You let me go and try,” Sandy urged.

Frank shook his head gravely.

”No use,” he said. ”There are probably a score or more of c.h.i.n.ks around this old shack. We've got to wait until morning before we try to get away. The only question in my mind is this: Will they let us alone until daylight? If they don't, then it will be a sc.r.a.p.”

The boys sat down against the earth wall of the chamber and waited. Now and then they could hear whispers in a tongue they could not understand.

Occasionally they heard a wagon creaking along the distant street. Then they knew that the doors connecting the mud hut with the outer world were open.

”I wonder if old Chee is still asleep from the dope?” Sandy asked, after a long time had pa.s.sed.