work.

Again the interpreter spoke as if in some surprise; but he was cut short
by the overseer uttering, in a deep, stern voice, the single word.

"Obey."

With a low bow the interpreter turned away, and taking Martin by the arm
led him into an inner apartment, where, having securely fastened the
window, he said to him, "De Baron say you be von blackguard tief; go
bout contrie for steal diamonds. He make pris'ner ov you. Adios."

So saying, the interpreter made his bow and retired, locking the door
behind him and leaving Martin standing in the middle of the room staring
before him in speechless amazement.

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR.

THE DIAMOND MINES--MORE AND MORE ASTONISHING!

If Martin Rattler was amazed at the treatment he experienced at the
hands of his new acquaintances on arriving, he had occasion to be very
much more surprised at what occurred three hours after his
incarceration.

It was getting dark when he was locked up, and for upwards of two hours
he was left in total darkness. Moreover, he began to feel very hungry,
having eaten nothing since mid-day. He was deeply engaged in devising
plans for his escape when he was interrupted by the door being unlocked,
and a Negro slave entering with four magnificent candles, made of
bees-wax, which he placed upon the table. Then he returned to the door,
where another slave handed him a tray containing dishes, knives and
forks, and, in short, all the requisites for laying out a supper-table.
Having spread a clean linen cloth on the board, he arranged covers for
two, and going to the door placed his head to one side and regarded his
arrangements with much complacency, and without paying the slightest
attention to Martin, who pinched himself in order to make sure he was
not dreaming.

In a few minutes the second Negro returned with an enormous tray, on
which were dishes of all sizes, from under whose covers came the most
savoury odours imaginable. Having placed these symmetrically on the
board, both slaves retired and relocked the door without saying a word.

At last it began to dawn on Martin's imagination that the overseer must
be an eccentric individual, who found pleasure in taking his visitors by
surprise. But although this seemed a possible solution of the
difficulty, he did not feel satisfied with it. He could with difficulty
resist the temptation to attack the viands, however, and was beginning
to think of doing this, regardless of all conseque