We are in no
haste to be away."
"I see," grinned the other. "You are taking life easily? Well, that is
not so bad. However, you are to start on your journey early to-morrow
morning."
"I shall be ready," Ned replied. "You have just landed?"
For just a second Lieutenant Rae's eyes sought the ground, then he
lifted them boldly. Ned was watching his every movement.
"No," he said, then, "I came in three days ago, but I was obliged to
await the movements of others before reporting to you."
Jimmie caught Frank by the arm and drew him out of the house. Out in
the deserted garden--which was only a yard or two of hard-packed earth--
he whispered:
"That feller's a liar!"
"What makes you think so?" Frank asked.
"He's no Englishman," Jimmie insisted. "He's a Jap. You bet your last
round iron man that's the truth. Now, what do you think he's doin'
here?"
"Well," Frank replied, "I think you are right. He's not an Englishman.
The nerve of him to put that up to us!"
"Perhaps he's the gazabo that monkeyed with our machines," suggested
Jimmie. "Wish I'd 'a' caught him at it!"
"But Ned says that was an European," Frank said.
"Then they're thick around us," Jimmie went on, "and we're up to our
necks in trouble. I wonder what instructions this Rae person will give
Ned?"
"Suppose we go inside and see," Frank answered.
When the lads reached the interior of the house again Ned and Rae were
bending over a road map of the country between Taku and Peking.
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