Captain Harmon, of the warship Union, was a brave and capable officer.He understood at once the necessity for the trip to Canton. Theconspirators must be identified. The United States Government must beinformed as to the foreign power which had so nosed into her affairs.
"The power that is doing this," the Captain said, "will resort toother tricks when this one fails. We want to know who she is. On thewhole, I think, I'll go to Canton with you--with your permission, ofcourse."
"That's kind of you," Ned replied, pleased at the offer. "I can leavethree of the boys on the Sea Lion and take one with me. I should belost without that little rascal from the Bowery."
"And I'll send a file of marines on board the Sea Lion," the captaincontinued. "That will make all safe there. Now, about the papers. Youhave the packet?"
"Yes, of course."
"What does it contain?"
"Instructions which show the hand of private parties only. Theycompletely exonerate our Government."
"And the other parties?"
"I regret that I must not mention names, sir."
"Very well," laughed the Captain. "You have performed your missionwell. The slanders must now cease. But one thing more remains to bedone--the meddling nation must be identified, as I have already said.We must go to Canton."
And so, leaving the Moores and Babcock safely locked in the den onboard the Union and the important papers secure in the Captain's safe,Ned, accompanied by the Captain and Jimmie, set out for Canton byboat. The way was not long, and they arrived at noon, an early starthaving been secured.
Ned was entirely at sea in the city, but Captain Harmon had been therea number of times, and the English chop house was soon found. Nextdoor to it was the curio shop mentioned to Ned.
The three lounged about the chop house nearly all the afternoon. TheCaptain was in plain clothes, and the trio seemed to be foreignerswaiting for friends to come. After a long time Ned saw a man pass thechop house and turn into the curio shop who did not seem to be aChinaman.
"Jimmie," he said to the little fellow, "suppose you go in there andbuy a dragon, or a silk coat, or a tin elephant. Anything to give youa notion as to what is going on in the shop." The lad was off in amoment, and then the Captain turned to Ned.
"Why did you send the boy?" he asked.
"Because we may both be wanted outside," was the reply.
"You mean that others may come--others who should be followed andobserved?"
"That's the idea," Ned replied.
Directly two more men, evidently not Chinamen, passed into the shop,then Jimmie came running out.
"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 ofthe boy's shoulder against the panels came a scraping of chairs on thefloor 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 didnot obey he motioned toward the street, as if threatening to callassistance.
"Who is it?" was now asked.
"A messenger from Captain Henry Moore and his son," Ned answered, witha 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. Theshopkeeper, thinking that all was well, went back to the front of theshop.
When the door swung open both Ned and the Captain threw themselvesagainst it. It went back against the wall with a bang, and the twonearly fell to the floor.
When they straightened up again they saw a servant standing betweenthem and the still open doorway. At a round table in the back end ofthe apartment were three men--all Europeans.
Ned stepped forward to address them, but Captain Harmon drew him backand motioned toward the door.
"What do you want?" one of the three asked, in English. "Why thisintrusion?"
Then Ned observed the face of the speaker, for the light was strongupon it. It was a face he had often seen pictured in reports ofdiplomatic cases. It was the face of one of the keenest diplomats inthe world.
"I come from Captain Moore," Ned said, almost trembling at the thoughtof 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 hadtaken place in his friend's appearance. The erect naval officer was nolonger 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," saidthe 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 understoodsomething of. The boy glanced keenly toward the man who had answeredto the name of Chang. He decided that he was not a Chinaman.
The three stepped out into the shop together, Ned watching the seemingChinaman closely. It was his idea that the fellow would give a signalwhich would call a score or more of mercenaries to his assistance. Hebelieved that it was not the intention of the men in the rear room tolet them leave the place.
When the three neared the center of the shop the alleged Chinamanlifted a whistle to his lips, as if about to signal. Ned snatched thewhistle away and seized the fellow by the throat.
"Now, Captain," he whispered.
The Captain, now his old self, sprang forward and the shopkeeper wassoon tied fast, gagged, and laid behind one of the counters. Then thetwo walked calmly out of the place.
Jimmie paused long enough to lean over the counter and make a face atthe prisoner, then followed on.
"You know the truth now?" asked Ned, as the two stopped on a streetcorner 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 documents, and we have the nameof the diplomat who was waiting for Moore. What more do you want?"
"Rather a clean job of it," mused the Captain. "I wonder what theWashington people will say when the papers are laid before them; withthe 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 Babcock?"
"They may be punished for attempting to wreck the Sea Lion."
"I don't like diplomatic cases," Ned said. "The rascals usually getfree of punishment."
"Well," Captain Moore said, "suppose we go on board the Union while wecan. As soon as the alleged shopkeeper is found behind the counter,there will be the dickens to pay. They will know that the identity ofthe big gun has been established, and every attempt to murder us willbe made."
"You think the man knew you?" asked Ned.
"I don't know. You noticed how I changed my attitude all I could whenhe looked at me. I rather fancied he saw something military about mebefore that."
"Then we may as well go aboard," Ned said.
"You have made a wonderful success of the mission," the Captain said,that night. "You have done everything expected of you and more. Has itbeen easy?"
"Well," was the reply, "we have been kept busy!"
Th
e Captain laughed and pointed to the shore of the inlet in which theUnion lay.
"There are people who want to come aboard!" he said. "See thecommotion on shore?"
"Shall you permit them to board?"
"Decidedly not. I have cabled to Washington for instructions. Untilthey arrive I shall keep everybody off the boat."
"That listens good to me," Ned said.
Boats which seemed to have no business there prowled around thewarship all night, and once a sneak was caught hanging to the forwardchains. However, no one succeeded in getting aboard.
In the morning the Captain came to Ned's cabin with a number ofcablegrams, all from Washington.
"I have orders for you," he said.
Ned yawned and shook his head.
"Not for a submarine trip," he said.
"I am going north," the Captain said, "north through the China Sea,into the Yellow Sea, and so on to the Gulf of Pechili. Do you knowwhere that is?"
"It is the highway to Peking," laughed Ned. "I hope you are not goingthere."
"Sure, and you are going with me."
"What for?" asked the boy.
"To find the two men who sat at the table with the diplomat atCanton," was the reply. "The Government wants them."
"We might have taken them, a few hours ago," mused Ned.
"Doubtful," said the Captain. "Besides, there is other work for you inthe Imperial City. Your friends are going with us, and the Sea Lion isto be left here."
"And the prisoners?"
"They remain on board. In fact, the Government has a surprise for theconspirators. We may want Babcock and the Moores at Peking."
"And you'll send the papers to Washington?"
"Yes. Write your report, briefly, for they now know a lot about thewonderful success you have had."
"But how are we to get from the coast to Peking?" asked Ned. "It isquite a trip, and the diplomats will be after us."
"Motorcycles have been provided," was the reply, "and a flyingsquadron of my boys will go with you."
"Whoopee!" yelled Jimmie, who entered the cabin just in time to hearthe latter part of the talk. "Me for the Chink land! I'll go and tellFrank and Jack."
The boy dashed off, and all preparations for the trip were made.
That night the Union sailed out of the China Sea. The case of themissing papers was closed. The gold was still at the bottom of thesea, but that was not Ned's fault. He had followed orders. However,the gold could be taken out at any time. The discovery of the men whohad conspired with the famous diplomat could not wait.
What the boys did, the luck they had, and the adventures they metwith, on the way from the coast to the Imperial City, will be told inthe next volume of this series, "Boy Scouts on Motorcycles; or, Withthe Flying Squadron."
THE END.
Thank you for reading books on BookFrom.Net Share this book with friends