The Forest of Mystery

  CHAPTER II

  A Grim Discovery

  "Chinatown!" repeated Bob's father, while Mr. Lewis looked up quickly.

  "Yes," answered Joe. "That is, I suppose we should go there. Here'sthe address. I jotted it down while we were in the street car comingto the hotel."

  "But--but what's it all about?" asked Mr. Holton, taking the slip ofpaper Joe handed him. He added: "Yes, it's in Chinatown. GrantAvenue."

  "It happened this way," explained Bob. "Joe and I got a Chinaman outof an automobile he turned over. He asked us to come and see himtonight at nine, and we told him we'd be there. That's all there is toit."

  "You say he turned his car over?" queried Mr. Lewis. "Was he hurt?"

  "Luckily not," returned Bob. "But it was a pretty narrow escape. Bigwonder he wasn't killed."

  There was a short silence. Neither of the men liked the prospect ofthe youths going to the Oriental settlement at that late hour.

  "Don't you think it's rather dangerous?" inquired Mr. Lewis. "'Mostanything might happen at such a late hour."

  "I don't see why it should be," returned his son. "Bob and I are oldenough to take care of ourselves. If we could come safely out of thejungles of Brazil, the Sahara, and the Andes, we surely ought to beable to watch ourselves here in America."

  "Well, maybe so. Chinatown, after all, isn't like it used to be,"admitted Mr. Holton. "But be on the lookout. Any idea what time you'llbe back?"

  Bob shook his head.

  "We won't stay any longer than we have to," he assured him. "And don'tworry. We'll be all right."

  The chums left the hotel without delay. They realized that they hadbarely a half hour to get to the Chinaman's shop, and they knew thiswould mean some hustling.

  "The trouble is," said Joe, "we're too near Grant Avenue to take astreet car and too far away to walk."

  "That is a problem," laughed Bob. "But if we hurry I think we'll getthere in time."

  The boys hastened down busy Market Street in the direction of theFerry Building, amid the crowd of pleasure seekers. As they walked,they took in the sights of the great city. Lights, lights. Tallbuildings. Four rows of street cars. An ever-moving procession ofpedestrians. This was San Francisco.

  It did not take the two long to reach Grant Avenue, and up this theyturned. Then their eyes were given another treat.

  Northward for many blocks stretched a line on both sides of the streetof pagoda-like structures that were distinctly Oriental. Many of theshops displayed colorful electric signs, often in Chinese. On thesidewalks were more than a few people of the yellow race.

  "So this is Chinatown." Bob was taking in the scene with interest.

  "Sure is different," observed Joe. "Even New York doesn't haveanything quite like this."

  The youths walked on until they came to a little shop that exhibitedthe words "Pong Lee Co." Here they stopped.

  "This must be the place," said Joe. "At any rate, it has the samestreet number that I have down on this paper."

  "O. K. Let's go in."

  As the boys make their way through the curious doorway, let us have aword about them and their experiences up to the present, as related inthe preceding volumes of _The Exploration Series_.

  Bob, usually the leader of the two, was a shade over six feet tall,with huge, powerful shoulders that were now bronzed from his life inthe open. His bright blue eyes and regular features displayed a frank,open disposition that won favor with everyone.

  Joe, about the same age, was of medium size, with a dark complexionthat was now still further darkened by the tropical sun. He was ofmuch lighter build than his friend, but was tough and wiry. He seldomstarted a task without finishing it.

  The chums lived next door to each other in Washington, D.C., wheretheir fathers were employed as naturalists by a large museum. Much totheir delight the boys were permitted to accompany their fathers tothe jungles of Brazil, where they encountered wild animals andtreacherous natives. Their thrilling experiences on this expeditionare told in the first volume, entitled _Lost in the Wilds of Brazil_.

  A little later, when they had graduated from high school, they leftfor another little-known region--the Sahara Desert. Here they enduredterrible sand storms, went for days without water, and fought hostileArabs. These and many more adventures are related in the volume_Captured by the Arabs_.

  Scarcely had the chums and their elders returned from northern Africawhen they were given another opportunity to penetrate the unknown. Inthe Andes Mountains of South America they had still more excitingexperiences. How they were guided by an old scientist along a narrowsecret trail and met with not a few breath-taking adventures is toldin the third volume, entitled _Secrets of the Andes_.

  Back in America, the youths were making preparations to enter collegethe coming fall, when their fathers announced that they were going toSan Francisco to see a naturalist, Thompson, of whom something hasbeen said. Bob and Joe asked to go along, and the request was granted.

  Now, as we return to the youths, we see that they are facing a smallChinaman, the man they had met earlier in the evening.

  "Ah, I glad to see you," he said, recognizing them at once. "Come. Wego back to room behind store."

  The chums followed their host through the shop, noting carefully thewares for sale.

  Those wares were a motley mixture, including everything from bottledherbs to Chinese adding machines. Never before had the boys been sointerested in a store. They found themselves lagging behind the man toexamine the many objects peculiar to the Oriental.

  At the rear of the building, separated from the shop by a queercurtain, was a little room. Here it was apparent that the Chinaman,Pong Lee, lived.

  "Sitee down," he directed his visitors, pointing to two crude chairs."I want talk with you."

  The boys did as told, wondering what was meant.

  After a short silence the little man continued.

  "You did me gleat good--gettee me out of upset machine," he began."For that I want give you something to bling you much good luck."

  "Good luck?" repeated Bob wonderingly, and then watched the Chinamanwalk over to a tall cabinet in the corner of the room.

  The latter opened a drawer, looked about carefully to see that no oneother than the boys was looking at him, and then took out something.

  "Here," he said, unfastening the lid of a tiny box, "are two good luckrings. I want you wear them--all tlime. They bling you much good luck.Wear them and you will keepee away flom all evil."

  He handed the boys each a grotesque ring, which was engraved in manyqueer Oriental figures. Bob's ring was particularly odd. On it weredepicted two curious dragons, one of which was spouting fire.

  "Why--thank you very much." Joe was delighted. Of course, he had nofaith in the charm the ring was supposed to have possessed, but heappreciated it as a rare piece of Chinese jewelry.

  "You velly welcome," Pong Lee said. "But there is a secret about thoserings. You must know."

  "A secret?" Bob leaned forward in his chair. His friend looked upinterestedly.

  "Bleeg secret," Pong Lee answered, nodding vigorously. "You must guardthose rings velly close. There are much men after them."

  "You mean someone else wants to get these?" asked Joe, intenselyinterested.

  "Yes. Much men want them. I have gleat many more. I not tell how I getthem. But I say for you to watch them close. They worth much money."

  "What do these people want with them?" inquired Joe. "Are they sovaluable as all that?"

  Pong Lee nodded.

  "They worth gleat deal," he said. "Much times men come in here afterthem. They know I have a velly lot in little box. But I play tlick onthem. They not find rings. I keep them hid--where no man find them.Moy Ling--he one of dangerous people. He keel you queek if he getteechance, yes. You guard rings. They bling you much good luck."

  He arose and walked over to the corner of the room.

  The youths looked at each other. They had been greatly impressed withwhat the little man ha
d said.

  "What do you think of it all?" asked Joe in a low voice.

  "It's a mystery to me. Wish he'd tell us where he got the rings. I'mcurious to know."

  Suddenly Joe sat up with a start. His eyes were fixed on the curiouscurtain that separated this room from the store.

  Bob's eyes followed those of his chum.

  "That curtain--it moved!" whispered Joe, a queer feeling of fearcreeping down his spine. "There's somebody hiding there. Maybe it'sone of those fellows that want these rings."

  "I'm going out there." Bob had gained his feet. "No, don't!" hisfriend pleaded. "They might shoot you--or maybe do worse."

  Bob hesitated. He finally decided to remain where he was.

  "But if that guy wants these rings, he'll get fooled," the youth saiddecisively. "We'll----"

  He was interrupted by Pong Lee, who had returned to his chair. TheChinaman was not aware of what had happened.

  "Do you have anyone else working in the store?" asked Bob, his eyesstill on the curtain.

  "No one else but me, Pong Lee, no. Why you ask?"

  "Well," Bob faltered, his voice lowering to a whisper, "there--there'ssomeone in there, near the curtain. I don't know who it is. Lookedlike they were listening to us."

  Pong Lee was panting. His eyes were wild with fury.

  "The rings!" he cried. "It is someone after the rings! They will keelus!"

  "Not if we can help it they won't," Bob said grimly. "They----"

  He stopped suddenly as he noticed a pistol in Pong Lee's hand. How theman had produced the weapon so quickly he never knew.

  "What are you going to do?" asked Joe. "Better not go out there. Itisn't safe."

  The Chinaman, paying no attention to the warning, slipped silentlyover to the end of the curtain, near the wall. His little mouth wasrigid; his eyes glared. The gun he held in readiness.

  The curtain he pulled back so slowly that only the movement of thecloth was not noticeable.

  Bob and Joe, annoyed by the suspense, waited breathlessly.