u met out fishing?
You see I found out your name for myself!"

"So it was a detective!"

"It was and is," said the little man, nodding. "Detective or Inspector
Royds, if you're any the wiser.

"What has happened? Who has escaped?" "Your friend Rattray; but he won't
get far."

"What of the Portuguese and the nigger?"

I forgot that I had crippled Jose, but remembered with my words, and
wondered the more where he was.

"I'll show you," said Royds. "It was the nigger let us in. We heard him
groaning round at the back--who smashed his leg? One of our men was at
that cellar grating; there was some of them down there; we wanted to
find our way down and corner them, but the fat got in the fire too soon.
Can you stand something strong? Then come this way."

He led me out into the garden, and to a tangled heap lying in the
moonlight, on the edge of the long grass. The slave had fallen on top
of his master; one leg lay swathed and twisted; one black hand had but
partially relaxed upon the haft of a knife (the knife) that stood up
hilt-deep in a blacker heart. And in the hand of Santos was still the
revolver (my Deane and Adams) which had sent its last ball through the
nigger's body.

"They slipped out behind us, all but the one inside," said Royds,
ruefully; "I'm hanged if I know yet how it happened--but we were on them
next second. Before that the nigger had made us hide him in the grass,
but the old devil ran straight into him, and the one fired as the other
struck. It's the worst bit of luck in the whole business, and I'm rather
disappointed on the whole. I've been nursing the job all this week; had
my last look round this very evening, with one of these officers, and
only rode back for more to make sure of taking our gentlemen alive. And
we've lost three out of four of 'em, and have still to lay hands on
the gold! I suppose you didn't know there was any aboard?" he asked
abruptly.

"Not before to-night."

"Nor did we till the Devoren came in with letters last week, a hundred
and thirty days out. She should have been in a month before you, but she
got amongst the ice around the Horn. There was a letter of advice about
the gold, saying it would probably go in the Lady Jermyn; and another
about Rattray and his schooner, which had just sailed; the young
gentleman was known to the police out there."

"Do you know where the schooner is?"

"Bless you, no, we've had no time to think about her; the man had been
seen a