"They"re going into a back room," he said.
Ned strolled into the shop, and in a moment the Captain followed.
Jimmie remained at the door.
The two worked gradually back to the door of the rear room, and Ned "accidentally" leaned against it. It was locked. With the impact of the boy"s shoulder against the panels came a sc.r.a.ping of chairs on the floor of the room beyond.
"You"ve stirred them up," whispered the Captain.
Then some one called from the inside.
"What do you want?"
"A word with you," Ned replied.
The shopkeeper now drew near and motioned the two away. When they did not obey he motioned toward the street, as if threatening to call a.s.sistance.
"Who is it?" was now asked.
"A messenger from Captain Henry Moore and his son," Ned answered, with a smile at the Captain.
There was a long pause inside.
"Where is he?" was asked.
"A prisoner. He wished me to come here."
Then the door was opened a trifle and the two saw inside. The shopkeeper, thinking that all was well, went back to the front of the shop.
When the door swung open both Ned and the Captain threw themselves against it. It went back against the wall with a bang, and the two nearly fell to the floor.
When they straightened up again they saw a servant standing between them and the still open doorway. At a round table in the back end of the apartment were three men--all Europeans.
Ned stepped forward to address them, but Captain Harmon drew him back and motioned toward the door.
"What do you want?" one of the three asked, in English. "Why this intrusion?"
Then Ned observed the face of the speaker, for the light was strong upon it. It was a face he had often seen pictured in reports of diplomatic cases. It was the face of one of the keenest diplomats in the world.
"I come from Captain Moore," Ned said, almost trembling at the thought of standing in the presence of the powerful man who had spoken.
"Can you send him here?" was asked.
"I"ll try," was the reply.
"Who is your friend?" asked the other, pointing to Captain Harmon.
Ned turned toward the Captain and was amazed at the change which had taken place in his friend"s appearance. The erect naval officer was no longer at his side. Instead, a shambling, bent figure stood there, with face bent to the floor.
"A seaman who is on sick leave," Ned replied.
"Well, step outside while we consider what to do in the matter," said the diplomat. "Chang!" he called.
The shopkeeper appeared at the door.
"Watch these fellows," came the orders. "Watch them, understand!"
The words were spoken in French, a language which Ned understood something of. The boy glanced keenly toward the man who had answered to the name of Chang. He decided that he was not a Chinaman.
The three stepped out into the shop together, Ned watching the seeming Chinaman closely. It was his idea that the fellow would give a signal which would call a score or more of mercenaries to his a.s.sistance. He believed that it was not the intention of the men in the rear room to let them leave the place.
When the three neared the center of the shop the alleged Chinaman lifted a whistle to his lips, as if about to signal. Ned s.n.a.t.c.hed the whistle away and seized the fellow by the throat.
"Now, Captain," he whispered.
The Captain, now his old self, sprang forward and the shopkeeper was soon tied fast, gagged, and laid behind one of the counters. Then the two walked calmly out of the place.
Jimmie paused long enough to lean over the counter and make a face at the prisoner, then followed on.
"You know the truth now?" asked Ned, as the two stopped on a street corner not far away.
"Yes."
"The name of the meddlesome power is no longer a mystery?"
"Yes, I understand that, but what are we to do?"
"Make our report."
"Then you think the case is closed?" asked the Captain.
"Well," replied Ned, "we have all the doc.u.ments, and we have the name of the diplomat who was waiting for Moore. What more do you want?"
"Rather a clean job of it," mused the Captain. "I wonder what the Washington people will say when the papers are laid before them; with the name of the man Moore was doing business with?"
"What will be done about it?"
"Nothing. All Uncle Sam can do is to block such games."
"And the Moores and Babc.o.c.k?"
"They may be punished for attempting to wreck the Sea Lion."
"I don"t like diplomatic cases," Ned said. "The rascals usually get free of punishment."
"Well," Captain Moore said, "suppose we go on board the Union while we can. As soon as the alleged shopkeeper is found behind the counter, there will be the d.i.c.kens to pay. They will know that the ident.i.ty of the big gun has been established, and every attempt to murder us will be made."
"You think the man knew you?" asked Ned.
"I don"t know. You noticed how I changed my att.i.tude all I could when he looked at me. I rather fancied he saw something military about me before that."