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“ Darrell raised his eyebrows. “How can I, until I know of what I am accused?” he returned quietly.
The Jap's face remained absolutely impassive. “You are Knowlton Darrell, a United States secret-service agent,” he stated positively. “You are here in the capacity of a spy. Is there any reason why you should not be treated as such?”
Staggered as he was by the other's knowledge, Darrell managed to retain his coolness.
“Under conditions of actual warfare,” he returned, “a spy is usually hanged or shot.” ”

“ Yet he had the vehement dislike of every sane, healthy man to being assisted into eternity. He had found life too interesting and full of savor to care about relinquishing it just yet. His profession, however, had accustomed him to risks and chances, to peril and danger unknown to the ordinary man. ”

“ Darrell lifted his eyebrows a trifle. “Whatever may be said as to Mexico, I have yet to learn that such conditions exist between my country and yours.”
“Conditions are sometimes what we make them,” stated the Jap succinctly. “Having the power, and realizing the necessity, it happens that I choose to act as if a state of war existed.” ”

“ Carmen's face darkened, and his eyes flashed scornfully. “Pirate—him?” he sneered. “The chicken-livered dub never saw the sea before except with his feet planted safely on dry land.”
“What!” gasped Bellamy incredulously. “But his lingo—that gory song—the whole look of him!”
“All faked up,” snorted Boote's partner. “He worked in a sailor's joint on the Barbary Coast for years. That's where he got his sea talk, and also where he just happened on the information about the pearls. He never set foot on a ship in his life till he came aboard the Golden Horn. ”

“ Carmen scowled. “Found them! They found us! Look here, Archer,” he went on, after a brief pause, “we're in a mighty tight place, and there's no sense in trying to keep up that bluff. I'm no more a secret-service agent than you are. I'm down here with that scum”—he jerked his head toward the moaning Boote—“after a lot of pearls he got track of, buried here forty years or more ago by some pirates. ”