Dave Darrin on the Asiatic Station Part 2

"Mex?" broke in Dan quickly.

"Of course, excellency," confirmed the Hindu.

"See here, David, little giant," Danny Grin rattled on, "we've been going it a bit blind. We've been thinking of gold, or American dollars, while this man has been talking on the basis of the Mexican silver dollar."

In the Philippine Islands the Mexican dollar is still the basis of currency. As this dollar is worth less than half of that amount in gold, the price charged by the Hindu, translated into American money, amounted to less than forty dollars.

"I'll take it," Dave announced, after a keen inspection of the necklace.

Payment was made, and the necklace was placed in a box so small that Ensign Darrin was easily able to drop it into one of his pockets.

From the curb outside a pair of glittering, bead-like eyes had peered into the gloom of the store.

Dave and Dan left the curio shop, the former feeling happier at thought of the pleasant surprise secured for Belle.

Further up the Escolta there now appeared a somewhat Americanized Chinese youth, of perhaps sixteen years, who soon started indolently on the trail of the strolling naval officers.

"Where now?" inquired Danny Grin.

"Have you anything that you wish to do ash.o.r.e?" Dave asked.

"Nothing."

"Neither have I, so suppose we go down to the office of the Captain of the Port. Our launch should be in soon."

"Suits me," nodded Dan.

These two young officers are the same Dave and Dan whose fortunes our readers have followed through many volumes full of exciting adventures and strange incidents.

Our readers first met them in the pages of the "Grammar School Boys Series," in which Darrin and Dalzell appeared as members of that now famous group of six schoolboys who were collectively known as d.i.c.k & Co., taking that name from their leader, d.i.c.k Prescott. Their adventures are further to be found in the High School Boys Series, and in the High School Vacation Series.

At the end of high school days d.i.c.k Prescott and Greg Holmes went to the United States Military Academy at West Point. What there befell the two cadets is set forth in the pages of the West Point Series. The professional careers of Tom Reade and Harry Hazelton, once also of d.i.c.k & Co., are to be found in the exciting volumes of the Young Engineers Series. Dave Darrin and Dan Dalzell, as all our readers are aware, were appointed midshipmen at the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, and their lives in that famous training school are splendidly depicted in the Annapolis Series.

The present series, as our readers know, depicts the life of Dave and Dan at sea as young officers. The first volume, "Dave Darrin at Vera Cruz," deals with the famous events suggested by the t.i.tle. In the second volume, "Dave Darrin on Mediterranean Service," is told what befell our young friends in their efforts to frustrate an international plot of possibly grave consequence to this country. The third volume, "Dave Darrin's South American Cruise," which our readers have lately read, deals with the adventures of the two young naval officers in foiling the outrageous plots of a South American ex-dictator, scheming to get back into power. And now, at last, we find Dave and Dan on the Asiatic Station.

Hardly had the naval officers turned out of the Escolta, at the water front, when Dan noticed that the sidewalk held at least fifty Chinese.

"This is the greatest of American cities, as far as Chinese population goes," smiled Dave. "Manila never has less than a hundred thousand Chinese residents."

Out in the road stood a solitary member of the Chinese population. At a signal from the youth behind the naval officers, he said a few words in guttural undertone.

Quickly the Chinese came together, jabbering and crowding the sidewalk.

"Gangway!" cried Danny Grin, as he and Dave found themselves pressing through the yellow throng.

Slowly, rather indifferently, the Chinese made way for the two naval officers to step through the crowd. Had Dave and Dan gone out into the road to get around this crowd it would have been at the expense of their dignity in a city where no white man is supposed to allow coolies to block his way.

"Gangway!" roared Dalzell.

The Americanized Chinese boy was now close beside the naval officers. A small, skinny yellow hand reached out.

"I'm sure Belle will be delighted with that necklace," Dave murmured to himself.

Alas! That jewel box no longer rested in his pocket, for the yellow boy with the bead-like eyes, at that very instant, had filched the little package. Nor did the picking of the white men's pockets cease at that point.

Once through the throng, the two young ensigns were not long in reaching the building in which are situated the offices of the Captain of the Port. It is opposite this building, on the bank of the Pasig River, where launches from naval vessels and army transports come in and tie up.

"Launch not in," announced Danny Grin.

"We'll have some minutes to wait," Dave answered. "Let's go over there and get a soda."

"Over there" referred to a little white one-story building, in which plain soda and similar beverages were sold.

Dave and Dan stepped inside, calling for soda water and drinking thirstily.

"Tastes good," muttered Dan. "Let's have another."

So the second soda was ordered, and was finished more slowly. Then Darrin reached into one of his pockets. Soon he explored another pocket.

"Why, that's queer!" muttered Dave, aloud. "I thought my money-"

"Never mind your money, chum," interrupted Dan Dalzell. "I'll pay for-"

A few seconds later Dan's expression changed to one of great amazement.

"Why, where _is_ my money?" he gasped.

"Don't look for it," returned Dave. "I don't believe you'll find it.

For myself, my pockets have been completely cleaned out. I haven't even the necklace that I bought for Belle."

"Look here!" uttered Danny Grin, his lower jaw dropping low, indeed.

"Have we been robbed? Have our pockets been gone through just as if we were a pair of rubes?"

"Our pockets have been picked all right," Darrin a.s.sented, with a smile.

"Then it was done while we were in that Chinese sidewalk mob!" said Dan, quivering with rage. "Just wait until I overhaul 'em, and-"

Dan sprang outside. His good intentions, however, came to naught, for the crowd of Chinese had disappeared.

"It's a good joke on us," grinned Dave, though not very mirthfully.

"Oh, is it?" flashed back Danny Grin. "Then enjoy yourself! Laugh as heartily as you can. But I've been touched for two hundred and forty dollars. How much did you lose?"

"A hundred and sixty dollars, and the necklace," confessed Darrin.

"Say," muttered Ensign Dalzell, another strange look coming into his face as he made another discovery. "I wish I could find those yellow-faced thieves."

"Why?"