The Boy Fortune Hunters in China by L. Frank Baum

"You'll find my first suggestion was good," said Archie, as we stood in the shelter of the wheel-house, for the wind was half a gale by this time. "The proper thing to do is to chuck old Death's-Head overboard."

"It would certainly simplify matters," I agreed; "but unfortunately it can't be done."

"Then we ought to cultivate his friendship," said Joe.

"How can we?"

"I don't know; but it's a great mistake to allow him to think he's our enemy."

"Why so, Joe?"

"We've got to go into his province to get the treasure. He's powerful there, and we need his good will. He might make it pretty hot for us otherwise."

"True enough," said Archie, gloomily. "But you can't cultivate the friendship of a dummy. He won't respond worth a cent."

"He must have _some_ sentiment," suggested Joe; "his faithfulness to his Prince proves that. Let's study him and try to discover how to reach his gratitude, or self-esteem, or -- -- "

"Or what?"

"How to further his ambition."

"If the Prince is buried at sea," I said, reflectively, "Mai Lo will be disgraced at home. If we can save him from this disgrace he ought to be grateful, for it will give him a chance to carry out his ambitious plans."

"I thought he was obliged to commit suicide," said Archie.

"So he is; but not immediately. First he must settle his master's affairs, and that business ought to provide pretty fair pickings for an unscrupulous man. Then he will be obliged to seal up the ancestral hall and destroy all traces of any entrance to it, or even its existence. All this takes time, and will give him a chance to complete his plans for running away with his plunder, most of which will be stolen from the tombs of the Prince's ancestors."

"Will he dare do that? " asked Archie.

"Mai Lo has seen a good deal of the world outside of China," said I, "and such experience is bound to destroy many of the doctrines of his religious belief. Contact with our western civilization made the Prince an unbeliever in Shintoism, and perhaps did the same for Mai Lo."

"Then why is he so set on lugging the body of the Prince to China? He must know that this ancestor worship is a humbug."

"He does. Also he knows that his people at home are still firm believers in it. It is to save himself from disgrace that he will insist on taking the body home."

"I see," responded Archie. "But he can't do that, you know. There's no way to embalm the Prince properly, and Captain Steele has already decided to drop the body overboard."

Looking aft I saw the doctor pacing the quarter-deck with his pipe in his mouth, and suddenly the sight inspired me with an idea.