e summer visitors. Now we _are_ in a
mess!"

"Allee same look-see," growled the Chinaman. He kicked Chessleigh, and
not gently. "Number one sneakee--him! She----"

He nodded violently toward Ruth, thus drawing Bilby's attention to the
girl. Bilby strained his fat neck forward to see the girl more closely.
There were other sounds coming from the passage.

"What's doing, Mr Bilby?" asked a gruff voice.

The fat little man was panting. He pointed waveringly at Ruth.

"Here's a pretty mess," he gasped. "What between these Chinks and that
crazy old duffer, they have got me in a nice mess. I know this girl. She
belongs to that moving picture outfit. Now what are we going to do?"

"Knock her in the head," was the advice of the growling voice.

The advice probably was not intended to be followed. It was said perhaps
to scare Ruth. But it excited somebody else besides the girl of the Red
Mill.

Before Bilby could reply or anybody else could speak, Copley came to his
feet with all the suddenness of a jumping-jack. Bilby squealed and
started back, falling against the gruff man who had followed him into the
cave and who was evidently the boatman.

"What's this?" ejaculated this man.

But that was all he said. The Chinamen squealed in unison, and that was
all from them. Bilby himself faintly groaned.

"Put your hands up--all of you!" commanded Copley, and one of the most
amazing things about the whole wild extravaganza was that the young
fellow's voice was perfectly unshaken.

Lads that have been in the army are apt to consider circumstances like
these as meat and drink to them. Chessleigh had not served Uncle Sam in
vain. He was as cool as the proverbial cucumber!

"Put your hands up--all of you! There are ten shots in this magazine and
every one of them will get its man. Quick! Up with 'em!"

In all probability only one of the Chinamen understood this strictly
American form of expression. But when the burly Chinaman elevated his
yellow hands, his fellow countrymen did the same.

As for Bilby and the boatman, they reached toward the roof of the cavern
hastily. There was no hesitation on their part. Although Copley was
alone, his unwavering attitude and the threat of the automatic pistol,
played hob with such shreds of courage as the malefactors possessed.

CHAPTER XXIV

A LETTER COMES

Nobody had come through the passage into the cave save Bilby and the
boatman. Chess stood where he could keep half an