"I don't believe
half this sensational stuff about Japan's warlike attitude toward the
United States that the newspapers are printing."
"Well, you didn't say Japan, but I know what you meant, all right,"
declared Shaw. "How much longer are you going to watch that camp?"
"I'm not watching the camp," replied Nestor. "I'm waiting to see
if some important individual doesn't make his appearance here,
bound for the peaks above."
"You mean the third man--the diplomat?"
"Exactly. He'll be here to-night, according to all reports.
I thought it might be his party wig-wagging when I came here,
provided it was not my associates. If he doesn't come pretty
soon I'll return to our camp. The boys will be getting anxious
over our long absence."
Presently, while the two waited, a signal rocket came blazing
out of the east, swept a wide curve in the sky, and dropped out
of sight. It was almost immediately followed by a blue rocket,
sent up from the foot of the range, not very far away. Then
the men in the camp below were heard moving about.
"The fellows down there," said Shaw, "appear to be about as
astonished as we are at the display of fireworks. I don't
think they are next to this game at all. They have their minds
too crowded with mine-dreams to leave room for any international
complications, I guess."
Indeed, this seemed to be the case, for the night watchman, the
Mexican, and the miners were now assembled in a little open
space before the tents, gazing perplexedly into the sky, which now
showed red and blue rockets, apparently sent up in answer to each other.
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