of
the _Clara_ at that time, with Lieutenant Carstens locked up in his
cabin."

"That is a falsehood," Keene said, turning to Ned. "I was there at
Penalty Island, but I was not at that time in command of the _Clara_."

"And only for me," Clem went on, "the Lieutenant and his men would have
been shot instead of being taken prisoners."

Keene settled back into his chair without replying to this.

"Why did you go to Yokohama?" asked Ned.

"So you recognized me?" growled Keene. "You knew me when you saw me in
the tea house? Well, I went there to kill Brown!"

The assertion was made so savagely, so recklessly, that the listeners
gazed at the speaker in wonder.

"Brown," continued Keene, "was blackmailing me. He was at Penalty Island
and was threatening to reveal what he knew unless I gave him a large sum
of money. He went to Japan and I followed and caused him to be killed."

"And then you went back to Manila and went aboard the _Clara_?" asked
Ned.

"Yes; and came down to witness the signing of the treaty."

"Where did you get the guns?" asked Ned.

Captain Curtis gave a quick start at the question.

"The guns?" he asked. "What guns?"

"The guns which were unloaded here to-night," was the reply, "and turned
over to the chiefs. If you will look through Keene's pockets again you
will find drafts in payment for them."

"Where did you get the guns?" demanded the Captain.

"Stole them from the government!" was the reply. "We caused them to be
loaded on board at Manila, before Carstens went aboard. He never knew
they were in the hold. We were to pick up a lot of tinned provisions on
the China coast--left there by a wrecked supply boat--and carry them to
natives supposed to be on the verge of starvation. I took Carstens'
place just before we reached the place where the tinned goods were. What
I want to know is this," he added. "How did you learn so much about what
we were doing, and intended to do?"

"This young man," pointing to Clem, "had a battle with one of the men at
the nipa hut," was the reply. "He was not so strong as his opponent, and
was dragged about the floor. If you will look at his heels you will see
three large nails protruding from the right one. I saw them when he
first came out of the cabin, when he lifted his shoe to strike a match
for his cigarette.

"During this struggle his right hand was injured a bit, cut so that the
blood ran from the wound. Now, after getting the prisoners to the can