leave my father's fate a matter of uncertainty, Mr. Buxton? I
know very well it's a long journey on the chance of Buck being right
in his suspicions. But so many things point that way, and if Buck is
willing to guide me to the country where the search ought to be made,
I will gladly go."

"Oh, I'm with you, of course, Jack," sang out Buck Risley. "We'll have
a look into things, anyhow, an' I know more than a bit of that
country. I've been three times up the river, an' made all sorts o'
little side-trips."

"Thank you, Buck," cried the lad. "I knew you'd be willing to help me.
We'll start as soon as possible. You'll find us plenty of funds, won't
you, Mr. Buxton?"

"Oh, yes, Jack," said Mr. Buxton, "I'll find you all the money you
want for such a purpose."

CHAPTER V.

THE SPY.

Three days later, about four o'clock in the afternoon, Jack and Buck
walked into Lincoln's Inn, and knocked at Mr. Buxton's door. They had
been staying at a hotel near at hand, and nothing was said until Jack
had carefully closed the door of the inner sitting-room, where Mr.
Buxton was at work among his papers.

"So you're off to-morrow?" said Mr. Buxton, laying down his pen.

"No, to-night," said Jack.

"What?" returned Mr. Buxton in surprise. "Have you got all your
luggage ready?"

"Yes, sir," said Buck. "We've got it with us."

"Oh, your cab is outside?" he said.

"No, sir," replied Buck, with a twinkle in his eye. "You see it all on
view."

Mr. Buxton scratched his head. "Do you mean to say that you're going
to start for Burmah with an umbrella apiece?"

"We do, Mr. Buxton," replied Jack. "We're going to slip off quietly.
Buck thinks we're being watched."

"Watched!" cried Mr. Buxton. "By whom?"

"Can't say that," said Buck. "But there's someone takin' a deep
interest in us I feel certain. I should venture to spec'late as the
ruby gang want to know what we're up to."

"And you mean to start off for the other side of the world equipped
merely for a stroll through the Park?" cried Mr. Buxton.

"Why not, sir?" asked Buck. "You've found us plenty of money, and we
can rig ourselves out whereever there are shops. Best for us, too, to
pull out on this business with as little show as we can make. If we
don't, we may find ourselves pulled up mighty soon and mighty sharp. I
tell you this is a deep an' cunning gang we've got to fight. An'
they've got a big pull of us. They know us and we know very little of
them. I can