Page:Ballinger Price--Fortune of the Indies.djvu/251

 all likely that either of your brothers would be traveling about with a baby?"

Jane gave the subject grave and careful consideration.

"No," she said, after deep thought, "I don't. Alan hates 'em, and Mark laughs at 'em. Certainly, they wouldn't have one with them when they were traveling around with treasures. That is— Oh, no, they couldn't. It's—it's perfectly idiotic."

"It does sound absurd," Mr. Tyler agreed. "They must be on the wrong track. But what made them wire me unless there were something to warrant it?" He reverted to his original perplexity.

They decided at last to despatch a message to this Magistrate Li-Chen of Changhow asking for more detail. And they telegraphed, also, to the European settlement at Changhow requesting that the consular officer give his attention to the matter. But Mr. Tyler was gravely troubled. He sent his messages in haste, with no second look at them, and he addressed each to the other.

So that a puzzled gentleman in the Changhow settlement read and reread these words: