actually know how Frank Langlois was killed?" There was
disappointment in Dave's tone.

"No, I do not," said the professor.

"Oh, as to that," said Johnny. "Didn't Pant tell you?"

"Pant? I haven't seen Pant since the fight to save Mazie."

"Isn't he with the bunch?"

"No--nor hasn't been. Jarvis says his goggles were smashed in the fight.
Says he saw him without them. No one's seen him since."

"You don't think they got him?"

"Not Pant. He can't be got, not by a mere band of Orientals. But what's
this he told you about Langlois?"

"Oh! He stayed up there, you know. He went into Mine No. 1 and prowled
round a bit. Found where the yellow bunch had run a high-tension insulated
wire through a crevice in the rock to the head of that pool into which
Langlois drove his pick. They ran a second wire to the base of the pool
and connected the two to a heavy battery circuit. They had discovered that
the pool rested upon a chalk rock which was good insulation. There was,
therefore, no ground to it. But the damp spot on which Langlois was
standing when he swung the pick was grounded. The minute he struck the
pool the whole current passed through his body."

"Electrocuted!"

"Yes."

"Well, that's settled," said Dave, after a moment's reflection. "Now what
about Pant? Where is he?"

"Let's go ask the gang."

In a little cabin close to the water-front, they found the gang. They were
all there but Pant.

"Where's Pant?" asked Johnny.

"On his way to America," said one of the men. "Saw him on the steamer not
a half hour ago. He told me to tell you he'd left the gold for you up at
the Red Cross."

"Have his goggles on?"

"Nope."

"And his eyes?" The men, leaning forward eagerly, listened for the answer
to this question.

"Steamer was pullin' out; I was too far away to see 'em."

"Oh!" The men sank back in disgust.

"As for that," said Jarvis, "I seen 'im plain enough the night of the
scrap. 'E'd 'ad 'is goggles smashed to bits. I saw 'is eyes plain as I see
yours."

The men leaned forward again.

"An'," Jarvis went on, "an' 'ope I may die for it, if 'e ain't got one
panther eye. I saw the pupil of it shut up in the light just like a
cat's."

"You'll die for it, or say you're wrong, anyway, about the panther part,"
smiled Johnny.

"D' y' mean to say I lied?" demanded Jarvis hotly.

"Not exactly that. You saw what you expected to see, that's all. As far as
the panther part is concerned, you're dead wron