ever you can."

"Kodak! I'm blanked! You might let on what you've found," grumbled
Symes.

"It's a head, man, a white man's head. I can't bring it across the
river, it's in such a disgusting condition that the damn thing'd tumble
to pieces. Ugh! Must take its likeness to establish identity. So put
your best leg forward."

Trooper Symes at once laid himself out to sustain the traditional
reputation of his rank. He swore.

"Don't blab the affair in camp," called out his superior, as he started.

The latter, left alone, began eagerly, with his investigations.
Anything more revolting than the aspect of his find can hardly be
imagined. Yet considering that it must have been in the water several
days, and several more since it had been stranded through the subsidence
of the river, it was surprising in what a recognisable state the swollen
features were. Yet, the horror and repulsion of this revolting sight
was merged in Dickinson's professional exultation as he examined it long
and attentively. It had not been severed by any sharp instrument, but
presented the appearance of having been _torn_ off. This pointed to the
agency of crocodiles. Yet why had they left it? Here was a mystery to
be unearthed, a clue to go upon. Here was the _corpus delicti_. The
bullet hole in the broken saddle which Stride had brought him was
another link in the chain. Were there no others?

First there was the strip of clothing which he had seen from the other
side. It he examined. It was of khaki-like material, something akin to
that employed for the uniform of the Force, and yet different. Ah, what
was this? Trailing in the river was the fragment of a coat, hitched to
a thorn. In his eagerness to get at it he nearly fell into the water.

There was a pocket. Eagerly the sergeant's hand investigated this, only
to come in contact with what seemed a mass of pulp. He drew it forth.
It slipped through his fingers and fell into the river--once it had been
papers, but the immersion had reduced it to pulp, yet not quite all of
it so escaped. One fragment remained, and it seemed to have been part
of an extra strong envelope. This he examined eagerly. It bore a
blurred and faded scrawl, most of which had entirely disappeared. By
dint of the most patient and careful scrutiny Dickinson succeeded in
making out--

H. Gold
Box
Jo

The rest had gone with the other fragment of the envelope--had run off
to pu