n
says, '_The Senores Bell and Jamison may recover their boat on
application to The Master, and may also receive news of a late
traveling companion from him._"

"We're known," Bell told him--and amazingly found it possible to smile
faintly--"Ribiera met me on the street and spoke to me and laughed and
went on."

Jamison stared. Bell's manner was almost entirely normal again. Then
Jamison shrugged.

"The sense of what you're saying," he observed wryly, "is that we're
licked. Let us, then, go to see The Master. I confess I feel some
curiosity to know just what he's like."

* * * * *

Bell was smiling. Being in an entirely abnormal state, he had a
curious certitude of the proper course to adopt. He went up to a
policeman and said politely, in Spanish:

"I am desired to report to The Master, himself. Will you direct me?"

The policeman abased himself instantly and trotted with them as a
guide. And Bell walked naturally, now, with his head up and his
shoulders back, and smoked leisurely as he went, and the policeman's
abasement became abject. All who walked with that air of amused
superiority in Punta Arenas were high in the service of The Master.
Obviously, the two men in these dejected clothes must also be high in
the service of The Master, and had adopted their disguise for purposes
into which a mere policeman and a slave of The Master should not dare
enquire.

Jamison was rather grim and still. Jamison thought he was walking to
his death. But Bell smiled peculiarly and talked almost gaily and--as
Jamison thought--almost irrationally.

* * * * *

They came to a house set in a fairly spacious lawn behind a rather
high wall. There were greenhouses behind it, and there were flowers
growing as well as any flowers can be expected to grow in such high
altitudes. It was an extraordinarily cheerful dwelling to be found in
Punta Arenas, but the shuddering fear with which the little policeman
removed his hat as he entered the gateway was instructive.

They were confronted by four other policemen, on guard inside the
gate.

"_Estos Senores_--" began the abject one.

"Take us to The Master," commanded Bell in a species of amused and
superior scorn.

"It is required, Senor," said the leader of the four on guard, very
respectfully, "it is required that none enter without being searched
for weapons."

Bell laughed.

"Does The Master manage things so?"