“He was ‘scared’ into coming into the room and asking in Japanese for my orders,” rejoined Brice.  “I gave the orders, when you thought I was airing my Jap knowledge by bawling him out.  I told him to collect the men we’d posted, to phone for others, and to watch for the signal of the burning tree.  If the Caesars weren’t going to attack in force, I saw no need in filling the house with Secret Service agents.  But if they should attack, I knew I could slip out, as far as that tree, without their catching me.  When Hade’s tea-party arrived, instead, I gave the signal.  It was Sato who got my message across to the key, this morning, too.  As for my pitching him out of here, this evening,—­well, it was he who taught me all I know of jiu-jutsu.  He used to be champion of Nagasaki.  If he’d chosen to resist, he could have broken my neck in five seconds.  Sato is a wonder at the game.”

The Jap grinned expansively at the praise.  Then he glanced at Hade and reported: 

“He’s getting back his powers of motion, sir.  He’ll be all right in another half-minute.”

Rodney Hade sat up, with galvanic suddenness, rubbing his misused throat and darting a swift snakelike glance about him.  His eye fell on the three men between him and the door.  Then, at each of the two hallway windows, he saw other men posted, on the veranda.  And he understood the stark helplessness of his situation.  Once more the masklike smile settled on his pallid face.

“Mr. Hade,” said Brice, “for the second time this evening, I beg to tell you you are my prisoner.  So are your crew.  The house is surrounded.  Not by Caesars, this time, but by trained Secret Service men.  I warn you against trying any charlatan tricks on them.  They are apt to be hasty on the trigger, and they have orders to shoot if—­”

“My dear Brice,” expostulated Hade, a trifle wearily, “if we were playing poker, and you held four aces to my two deuces--would you waste breath in explaining to me that I was hopelessly beaten?  I’m no fool.  I gather that you’ve marched my men off to jail.  May I ask why you made an exception of me?  Why did you bring me back here?”

“Can’t you imagine?” asked Brice.  “You say you’re no fool.  Prove it.  Prove it by -”

“By telling you where I have cached as much of the silver as we’ve jettisoned thus far?” supplemented Hade.  “Of course, the heroic Standish will show you where the Caesar cache is, down there in the inlet.  But I am the only man who knows where the three-quarter million or more dollars already salvaged, are salted down.  And you brought me here to argue me into telling?  May I ask what inducements you offer?”

“Certainly,” said Gavin, without a moment’s hesitation.  “Though I wonder you have not guessed them.”

“Lighter sentence, naturally,” suggested Hade.  “But is that all?  Surely it’s a piker price for Uncle Sam to pay for a gift of nearly a million dollars.  Can’t you better it?”