we are going on motorcycles?" asked Ned.

"I think I do," was the reply.

"Why don't you out with it, then?" asked Jack.

"You'll learn of the reason soon enough!" replied the other. "Before we
go to Peking you may understand why you are going with a flying squadron
of Uncle Sam's men!"

"Who directed you to the house where I found you?" asked Ned.

"A chap who called himself Lieutenant Rae," was the reply.

"Japanese-lookin' chap?" asked Jimmie.

"That's the fellow."

"There's one more question," Ned went on. "Are all the men you took
from the ship with you?"

"Every one of my men is here," answered the officer, "but there was a
fellow, a friend of yours, with us at first who is not with us now.
Queer chap he was, too! German, I think, and a master at tangling up
the United States language. He came on board the ship, and managed to
get off with us when we left. In two days he disappeared."

"That was Hans!" cried Jack.

"Who's Hans?"

"A German Boy Scout we picked up on an island. A member of the Owl
Patrol, of Philadelphia, he said. We left him on the submarine."

"Well, he asked after you boys, and looked disappointed when we did not
find you, owing to the misleading statements of that fraud, Rae. He
left us without a word of explanation, and is probably looking for you.
Did he know where you were going?"

"Yes," admitted Ned, "I told him we were going to Peking by way of
Tientsin. I should not have done that."

"Oh, it can do no harm, and may be for your benefit. If the lad was not
killed by the Chinks, he is doubtless on his way to Peking."

"Then you think he knew there was something wrong because we did not
meet you?" asked Ned.

"Yes; he acted queerly."

"There are evidences of a struggle in this house," Ned went on, "and we
thought the messenger we were waiting for had been attacked, but it may
have been Hans after all. I hope he is not in serious trouble."

"I am the only messenger sent to you," the officer said, "so, as you
say, it might have been the German who was attacked, though no one knows
how he ever found this house, or why, when attacked, he didn't make
himself heard."

The rain was now falling heavily, and it was decided to remain under
shelter for a time, so the flashlight was brought into use again.

"If your men can keep up with us," Jack said to the officer, "we can get
to Peking in six hours, so there is no need of hurrying."

"If you get to Peking in six