“What happened to the _Bertha_?” the millionaire asked. Then Ben told the story of the visit of the Chinaman who had wasted their gasoline and eaten their provisions so ravenously. He also told the story of the landing on the summit, and of the visit of the two Japs in the _Ann_. Havens looked grave. “Those Japs,” he exclaimed, “must have come directly on from New York to Monterey. They are well-known East Side crooks, and are using their old tactics here.” “Well, they probably went away after Phillips and Mendoza in that limping old machine,” Carl said. “They can’t go far.” Gilmore and Sheriff Chase, who had listened intently to the conversation, now began asking questions. “You spoke of a Chinaman coming to your tent,” Gilmore began, “as if Mr. Havens already knew of the existence of such a party. What about that? When and where did you first see this Chinaman?” he added turning to Ben. “Tell me all about it.” At this time the little party was directly in front of the hotel where Stroup had exhibited his muscular ability. As Ben explained about the first stopping-place, the two beacons, the schooner, the caves, and the swarm of Celestials, Gilmore drew him into the hotel and into the smoking room. Here he seated the entire party notwithstanding the frowns of the clerk, and closed and locked the door. “Do you know,” he asked, after a moment’s thought, “that you boys have made a discovery which is likely to bring you a large amount of money?” “I guess they can use it, all right,” laughed Havens. “They want a new flying machine every time they see a new model!” “Tell us about it?” asked Ben eagerly. “Well,” Gilmore went on, “we have been after those Chink smugglers a long time. The beacons have been observed night after night, and schooners have long been known to visit Monterey bay during the dark hours, but,” he went on, “we have searched the coast for a hundred miles and never found anything like the canyon you blundered into the first night of your arrival.” “And we found it in the dark!” laughed Carl. “Cheer up!” exclaimed Gilmore. “My men couldn’t find it in the day-time.” “Well, you know where to get the Chinks now!” the sheriff broke in. “But how about this Chink we were talking about?” asked Ben. “We found him tied up like a side roast of beef. We turned him loose, of course, and then he comes and serves us a dirty trick like that!” Gilmore sat back in his chair and laughed heartily. “That Chinaman,” he said after a time, “is not a Chinaman at all! That’s Sloan, the Washington secret service man!” “But he looks like a Chink!” insisted Carl. “Certainly,” answered Gilmore. “That’s why he has been assigned to this class of work.” “Can he talk like a Chink?” asked Ben. “As natural as life!” was the reply. “Well, he don’t know much English,” grinned Ben, “if you leave it to me. All he said was ‘Savvy you, alle same’ and ‘No can do!’” Again Gilmore broke into a roar of laughter.