CHAPTER XV
A QUEER FIND
Off through the woods ran the Darewell chums, and it needed but amoment's listening to tell them that the two mysterious men were afterthem.
"Hurry!" called Frank to Fenn, who, because of his natural inability,was not able to run as fast as could the others. "Come on, or they'llcatch you!"
"I don't see--what we've done--that we--should run," panted the stoutyouth. "These woods--are free. Why haven't we--a right to walk in them?"
"This is out west and they do things differently from what they do wherewe come from," responded Bart, looking back. "Evidently those men didn'twant to be observed."
"Are they coming?" asked Ned.
"No," replied Bart, pausing in his race, "they seemed to have stopped inthat little clearing we just passed through."
"The Chinese is trying to induce the white man to come back," saidFrank.
This was the case for, as the boys watched, they saw the pig-tailedCelestial grasp his companion by the arm, and, pointing toward the lake,fairly pull him back along the path they had come.
"They must be interested in some boat," suggested Fenn. "Say, fellows,"he added hastily. "I'll bet I know what it is."
"What?" inquired Bart, as he stooped over to pick a lot of burdock burrsfrom his trousers.
"These men have something to do with the two who chased us back at theelevator fire. I'll bet they're part of the same gang, and they'retrying to work some trick on the _Modoc_! We ought to hurry back andtell Captain Wiggs!"
"Oh, you're 'way off!" declared Frank. "I don't believe these men evenknow those who chased us."
"Then who are they?" demanded Fenn.
"I don't know," said Frank. "Evidently they are interested in some boatthey expect from across the lake. That is very evident from the way theyacted; looking through the telescope, and all that. Perhaps they havemistaken our vessel for the one they are looking for."
"No," remarked Bart. "I noticed when the Chinese pointed the glass heaimed it in a different direction from that in which the _Modoc_ lies."
"Then what boat are they expecting?" asked Ned.
"That's too big a question for me," replied Bart. "It certainly is aqueer thing to see a Chinese and a white man in such close company, offhere in the woods."
"And then the auto," put in Fenn. "What do you suppose that's for?"
"It's part of the same game," was Frank's opinion.
"Well, I don't know that it's up to us to discover it," went on Fenn."It's about time we got back to the ship, anyhow. Come on. We'll keep onthis way, and fetch around to the beach in a circle. Then we'll not runacross those two queer men."
The boys advanced, laying their course as best they could. Now and then,through the trees, they could get a glimpse of the lake, and they knewthey were going in the right direction.
They came to a little gully, in a dense part of the woods, and had todescend into it, to get across, as it extended for quite a distance ineither direction. Frank led the way, half slipping, half sliding downthe sides. As he reached the bottom he gave a startled cry that alarmedhis companions.
"Hurt yourself?" asked Bart.
"No, but look what I've found!"
"A gold mine?" inquired Ned, with a laugh.
"Part of a clothing store," replied Frank. "Look!" and he pointed towhere, behind a clump of trees, was a large pile of men's clothing,hats, shoes, coats, vests, trousers and shirts.
"That solves the mystery!" exclaimed Fenn.
"How?" asked Bart.
"Why there's been a big robbery! The men have hidden their booty in thewoods, until they have a chance to carry it away. Those two men we justsaw are members of the gang. They're keeping a look-out until their boatcomes and then they'll take the stuff away. Yes, that's it!"
"I believe Fenn's right," declared Ned.
"Do you?" asked Frank quietly. "Then how do you account for the factthat all the garments are old? There's not a new one among 'em, not eventhe shoes. You can see for yourself."
The boys looked more closely at the garments, which were arranged inpiles, with canvas coverings tossed to one side, as though they had beenprotected from the weather, and recently opened. They did not touch thethings, but it did not need a close inspection to show that Frank wasright. The garments were all old ones.
"If there was a robbery it must have been of a second-hand store," wenton Frank, "and that's not likely. Besides, see here," and he pointed alittle farther off, where a heap of Chinese clothing lay on the ground.
"Well, if this doesn't beat the Dutch!" exclaimed Bart. "What do youmake out of that?"
It was a strange find. First to come across a Chinese and an American,in excited conversation in the depths of the woods, and then to discovera pile of clothes, such as are worn by white men, close to a heap,evidently discarded by a band of Celestials, was sufficient, as Bartsaid, to beat not only the Dutch, but the French, English, German,Spanish and a few other nations.
The boys went closer to the garments of the Celestials. These clothes,as did the others, exhibited unmistakable signs of wear. But they werenot piled in orderly heaps; instead, being tossed carelessly together,as if they were no longer of any service.
"Isn't this a regular Chinese puzzle?" remarked Ned.
"I believe they are Chinese smugglers!" chorused Fenn and Bart.
"That's what," said Frank. "Those two men we saw were evidently thelook-outs, watching for the boat load to arrive. When the travelers fromthe Flowery Kingdom land, they are brought here, to this secluded place,and here they take off their blouses and wide pants, and put on oldAmerican clothes. Old ones, so they attract no attention. I'll wagerthat's the solution to this Chinese puzzle."
"But where do the Chinamen come from?" asked Ned. "We're a good waysfrom China."
"From Canada," answered Frank. "I remember reading lately about a lot ofChinese who were taken into Canada from the Pacific coast. They werebrought by rail to a place on Lake Superior about opposite here, andsmuggled into this country in boats."
"That's right," agreed Bart. "I read how one boat load, which thesmugglers were bringing over, was caught in a storm, and all the Chinesedrowned."
"But why do they bring them over?" asked Fenn, who was usually too fullof fun, or too interested in some girl, to pay much attention to currentevents.
"Why, there's a United States law against letting any more Chinese comein," explained Frank. "The only way they can get in is to smuggle here.It's easy to get them into Canada, and then, if they can make a tripacross the lake, and land in some secluded spot, they're all right, ifthey're not discovered, and that is no easy matter, as the Chinese alllook so much alike."
"Then that white man we saw must have been one of the agents engaged insmuggling," said Bart. "I've read they have a regularly organizedcompany, and get good money from the Chinese whom they smuggle over. Thepig-tailed chap with him, was evidently a helper or interpreter, who wason hand because the boat was expected."
"That's why they were looking across the lake with a telescope then,"ventured Fenn. "Say, it's as clear as daylight now. I wonder if wecouldn't stay and see 'em land?"
"Not much!" exclaimed Frank. "The chances are the plans are all off, forthe time being. That white man will suspect we were spying on him, andwhen they ran back that time, I guess it was to signal to the boat notto land. We must have given them quite a scare."
"But what was the auto for?" asked Ned, who liked to go into details,and who always wanted to know the why and wherefore of things.
"I guess it was to take the Chinese to some place where they could stayuntil it was safe to venture out," said Frank. "Sometimes they have tojump around pretty lively, I imagine, especially if the governmentdetectives get after them."
"Perhaps we'd better go and tell Captain Wiggs what we have discovered,"suggested Fenn. "He may want to notify the authorities."
"Good idea," commented Bart. "Come on."
As the boys started to leave the little gu
lly where the clothing washidden, they heard a noise behind them. Turning quickly they saw thewhite man and Chinese, as they broke through the underbrush.
"They're after us!" exclaimed Fenn in a hoarse whisper.