s though he were trying to think. The men gathered about were
quiet, watching their prisoner. He wet his lips with his tongue.

"Thanks," he murmured, and held out his hand with a feeble gesture.
Bud reached down and grasped it with a smile.

"Don't mention it," the boy said quickly. Then he straightened up and
looked over to Mr. Hawkins. "Say, are you thinking the same thing I
am?" he asked the agent.

"You mean, where are the Chinks? You bet I'm wondering that! Wait, I
believe I can find out. Hey, Mex!" The agent called to the cook who
was standing on the edge of the group. "Come here! You know him?"

He pointed to a man seated on the ground, leaning against a tree, with
one of his sleeves burned entirely away. The arm was scorched. But
with his other hand the man was calmly holding a cigarette.

The Mexican cook looked at him and then nodded briefly.

"He's your brother, isn't he?"

Another careless nod.

"Then you ask him what became of the Chinks!"

"Why don't you ask him yourself?" Dick wanted to know.

"Tried it--won't answer. I think his brother can make him talk."

This proved to be correct. The cook bent over his brother and made a
few rapid motions with his fingers. The seated man muttered something.
Again the cook's fingers moved. This time his brother answered more at
length, and the cook walked in the direction of a small shed, motioning
to the others to follow. Nort and Mr. Hawkins trailed along behind.
When they reached the shack the cook pointed to it.

"In there?" the agent asked doubtfully. It didn't seen large enough to
hold more than two men. It had probably been used to shelter a calf
when the place had been run by a farmer.

The Mexican nodded. Hawkins stepped to the small door and jerked it
open. A bundled-up mass of humanity almost tumbled into his arms, and
when they untangled themselves, there were not two Chinese, but five!

"How in thunderation did you all ever get in there?" Nort inquired
wonderingly. "Hey, you! Quiet down! We're not going to hurt you.
What do you think this is, a circus? Gee! They were like sardines!"

The Chinese were as excited as rabbits, and chattered away in evident
fear. None of them spoke English, and it was some time before they
could be made to understand that no harm was intended them.

As the agent returned to the little group of wounded and others, he saw
them centered about something and all talking at once. He quic