y upon the floor of the cavern, silent and immovable.
She was quite sure, by the exceedingly knowing wink that he had given
her, that he was neither panic-stricken nor seriously hurt. He was merely
waiting to see what would turn up.

And what would happen when the new chance did turn up? Already Chess was
in opposition to at least seven Chinamen, if he attempted anything. And
if those the old man had spoken of, likewise appeared, what could Copley
do against such numbers?

There was nothing Ruth, herself, could do. She sat quietly on the end of
the low table and looked sadly about the dimly lighted place. This was
certainly a situation from which her usually ingenious mind could invent
no means of escape.

Suddenly the old man who called himself the monarch of this island came
from the corner where he had been standing, watching Ruth, and made his
way swiftly to the entrance to the cave. The big Chinaman got up and
looked at him. The King of the Pipes waved his hand and pointed through
the passage.

It seemed to be sufficiently clear--that gesture--for the Chinaman began
to gabble to his friends. They scrambled to their feet--all but two who
had fallen into a sluggish state after their indulgence in the use of the
drug. They looked toward the cavern entrance. The King of the Pipes
disappeared through the passage.

Ruth stole a stealthy glance at Chess. She saw that he had moved. He was
lying with his right hand covered by his body. There seemed an alertness
about him--in posture and in gleaming, half-closed eyes--that startled
Ruth. What had the young fellow in his mind to do. For what was he
waiting?

In a minute she heard the ring of quick steps upon the rock-floor of the
tunnel.

Ruth shrank away from the table and stood at her companion's head. What
would the newcomers--Bilby, perhaps--do to Copley and to her?

And it was Bilby! The little, red-faced, greenish-eyed man, projected
himself into the cavern as though he had been shot out of a gun.

"What's the matter here? What's going on, I want to know? That crazy-head
is trying to tell me something--Ye gods! A girl?"

He saw Ruth vaguely. Then he glanced down at the prostrate Copley.

"Who knocked him out?" demanded Bilby.

The burly Chinaman was the one he addressed, who answered in a form of
English:

"Allee same me. I get um, Mist' Blibly."

"For mercy's sake!" whined Bilby, wringing his fat hands. "These people
aren't police. They are some of th