The Opium Smugglers

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Two coast guards discover traces of smuggling on the seashore. The district is infested by Chinese opium smugglers, but the Orientals are so cautious that it seems impossible to catch the gang or find out their haunts. The coast guards take the packet of opium they have discovered to headquarters, and it is decided that a stop must be put to the smuggling without delay. Arizona Bill is communicated with, and promises to do his best to aid the government. Bill has already had a good deal of experience in dealing with Chinese, and he disguises himself very cleverly as an Oriental and haunts the port, making the acquaintance of several of the gang, and eventually being taken on as an extra hand on one of the boats. One night a mysterious ship is visited and bales of goods taken off. Bill assists in landing the cargo, and shouldering his share, follows his companions through narrow streets and alleys to an apparently deserted house. A password is given and our hero finds himself in an opium den. An old hag receives the Chinese and supplies them with pipes. Bill accepts his and pretends to inhale the poisonous fumes, while thinking out a way to escape without discovery. The old woman's suspicions are aroused, however. She steals behind Bill and pulls off his pigtail and then strives to rouse the opium-soaked men around. Meanwhile, Bill rushes to the door, but a trap door before the threshold has been opened and he falls into a cellar beneath. After some hours he discovers an exit through a disused drain and emerges on the sea front exhausted, where Betty, his wife, who has accompanied him to the town, is anxiously looking for him. Bill, however, is determined not to be beaten and hires a boat to explore the coast. Betty insists on going too, but the Chinese gang know everything, and arrange for several of their number to be included in the crew. A few days later the yellow demons seize their opportunity and take command of the boat. Bill is bound and a bomb placed by his head, with a fuse connected, which will blow him and the boat to pieces in a short time. Betty is carried off in one of the lifeboats in spite of her struggles. Bill's position is desperate, and it seems that his last hour has come. An idea occurs to him, and as the burning fuse comes within his reach, he burns his bonds in the tiny flame, and, free once more. leaps from the doomed ship just in time. A terrific explosion occurs and the boat sinks beneath the waves, watched by the exulting Chinese, who have landed. As they drag Betty with them, she manages to lose her footing and falls over a precipice. Feeling sure she is killed, the Orientals make no attempt to rescue her, but Betty rolls down the height, and beyond being stunned and having a severe shaking, she is unhurt. She manages to crawl up to a rock, and, mounting this, spies the Chinamen entering a hut near at hand. She has discovered their hiding-place. Down on the seashore she finds a man's body washed in by the waves, and with a cry of anguish recognizes Bill. Thinking he is dead, she lifts his body on to her shoulders and starts to walk inland. After a time she fancies he stirs and to her delight life is in him still. Little by little Bill revives and hears with joy that Betty has found the retreat of their enemies. Next day Bill reports to the coast guard-in-chief, and asks him to send an armored boat to blow up the hut on the coast. This is immediately done, and the opium den utterly destroyed by cannon. Thus a public danger is wiped out by the intrepid bravery of Arizona Bill and his wife.