ut you're a bum lot!" he cried. "Why don't you go back to the
Pyramids and sleep for another thousand years? There ain't no
nourishment in sitting up there like a dime museum, for there's no one
sellin' tickets at the door."

"Look behind you!"

That was the English voice again, seemingly out of the heavy air, or out
of the storm outside. Jimmie turned quickly and saw his chums nicely
tied up.

In a moment he turned back to the row of six, without even exchanging a
look with his friends.

"Who's doin' the talkin'," he asked.

Frank and Jack were now too impatient to know what had become of their
leader to delay longer. The latter asked:

"Where's Ned?"

"Ask this lineup," Jimmie replied. "I don't know. Gee! If I had a
face like that man on the end, I'd sell it to the wild man of Borneo,
its an improvement on anythin' he could get up. Say, Old Socks!" he
added, "where is Ned?"

"Packed up, ready for delivery," was the reply. "Say, how would you
wild animals like to take a jaunt on your motorcycles to-night? Nice
cool night for a ride! You might reach Poking by morning and report to
the American ambassador!"

"We'll get there in due time," Frank answered.

"I've drawn the teeth of this collection of wild animals, at all
events," said the voice. "No more Wolves and Black Bears will be apt to
come to China. Such collections are not popular here."

Jimmie dropped back to where his chums were seated. Serious as the
situation was, the boy could not restrain a smile as he threw himself
down beside Frank. The storm was still thundering outside, and splashes
of rain now and then whirled in at the open casement.

The lantern which illuminated the interior of the room showed only a
round blotch against the darkness. In this circle sat the six silent
men, watchful but motionless.

"It might be a scene in a play!" Jimmie exclaimed.

Frank nodded and whispered:

"Did they get Ned, too?"

Jimmie nodded. His face was grave in an instant.

"Where is he?" Frank whispered.

The little fellow shook his head. Then the voice which seemed to come
from nowhere was heard again:

"You'll meet him in due time," it said.

A long silence followed. The lantern which gave out the light flickered
in the wind and the beat of the rain increased in violence. In all the
adventurous lives of the Boy Scouts nothing so weird, so uncanny, as
this had ever occurred.

"Well," Jack said, more to break the strange s