, black-eyed, supple as an eel, cunning as a cat; a scholar
and travelled gentleman, who might easily be a cut-throat; one who
professes the old faith, and swears by the Pope--ye know him?"

The elder of the two spies licked his lips uneasily, looked hurriedly
from his companion to Dan, and from Dan back to his companion. The
latter stared and blinked his eyes in embarrassment.

"Ye helped him in a little job in this very house about three months
ago," pursued Dan. "D'ye know what he got out of it?"

"No."

"The very thing we want to get out of him. A sailor hid some papers in
this very house--papers that point the way to untold wealth, the way to
'El Dorado's' land. I was with him when he learned the secret, and
hurried back here to lay hands upon the precious packet. I was a
little behind time. Now, if we are going in the _Golden Boar_, we must
carry those papers with us. Ye both unwittingly played stalking-horse
whilst another man got the treasure."

"And he paid us scurvily, the yellow-faced rascal!" cried the spies.

"And he will pay ye scurvily for spying upon the _Golden Boar_ and
Master Morgan, whom he hates. D'ye see how well I know the fellow and
all his secrets? I could hang him an I could but lay hands on him.
Are we to go on a blind expedition to the Indies, he laughing at us
from the quayside, and straightway fitting a vessel at his leisure to
garner in the wealth we may search for in vain?"

"By the saints, no! But we took him for an honester man."

"Ye did not know him; I do. Now, where is he to be found? There is no
time to lose. I know he's not far off, but I had rather not waste
precious hours in searching for him."

The two rascals, astonished at Dan's knowledge of their doings, fell
into the trap he set for them. They jumped up. "We'll take ye to him
at once!"

"Softly, friends! I know my man and his ways. Did he but catch sight
of five of us approaching his hiding-place, we should never get a
glimpse of him. Did he but see me with ye, our quest were in vain.
Have I not said I know enough of him to hang him? Leave the business
to me, and wait here with my friends. Would ye send five dogs barking
and tearing through a wood to trap one fox? One silent hound, with a
good nose, sharp teeth, silent tongue, and a knowledge of the fox's
ways, would serve the purpose better. Let me know the lie of his den,
and trust me for the rest."

The fellows fell in with Dan's plan.