"Never mind now. Make fast and we will pull around to the Indian Basin. I shall touch nothing until we are at the Government stores." The kicker obeyed, and was just about to step back into the launch, when Old King Brady, ordering him to remain where he was, he sat down on the big tin box. Instantly he jumped up again, exclaiming: "Good heavens! There is some one alive in this box!" "Ah! The princess!" cried Alice. "What did you hear?" demanded Old King Brady. "Some one spoke. There it goes again! It's a Chinaman." "Or a woman! Alice, do you think you can get aboard the sailboat without tumbling into the bay?" "Why, certainly," replied Alice, and she stepped aboard the sailboat with the kicker's aid. "Is any one in the box?" she called. "Yes. Help! Save me! I am dying in here!" came the answer in Chinese. Alice instantly repeated the words. "We must make a landing right here on the bulkhead in front of these warehouses," declared Old King Brady, and he gave Harry orders accordingly. Loaded down as the sailboat was, it would have been both difficult and dangerous to attempt to open the bulky box on board. Indeed, in order to get at it properly, a good portion of the contents of the boat would have to be removed in any case. "Ask her who she is and how she came to be there, Alice," the old detective called; adding: "I am assuming that it is a woman." "Yes, it's a woman," replied Alice, and she put the question. "She says she is the Princess Skeep Hup," Alice called. "Ask her how she came to be in the box." But when Alice put the question there came no reply. "I'm afraid she has fainted!" said Alice, "or, indeed, she may be dead." "A mystery!" cried Harry. "The mystery that came out of the mist." CHAPTER II. ALICE AND THE CHINESE PRINCESS. To make a quick opening of the box containing the Chinese Princess was quite impossible. Besides the difficulties already explained, there were others. The box was not nailed. Examination showed that it was put together with screws, and that the boards were of some hard wood. Air-holes bored in the sides at regular intervals showed that the imprisoned princess certainly ought to have no difficulty in breathing, and made it seem that her present unconsciousness was probably nothing more than a faint. The landing at the bulkhead had now been made. There appeared to be no watchman here--at least no one challenged the Secret Service party. Behind the bulkhead extended a row of storage warehouses. The boat had been tied up opposite a break in this row formed by a street extending back towards Amador street, the first of which parallels the Islais Creek Channel on the south. The Bradys had plenty of rope, and the work of unloading now began. Harry got into the sailboat along with the kicker and remained there. Old King Brady, Alice and the other two Secret Service men ascended to the bulkhead.