u never did," said his chief; "but you ought to have found
something here."

"Why, you don't think he has any about him, do you?" cried the man, who
was staggered by his chief's cool, confident way of speaking.

"Yes, I do," said the chief, "and so does Mr Ingleborough there. Don't
you, sir?"

Ingleborough nodded shortly, and West saw the Kaffir's eyes flash, while
when he turned to Anson he saw that his fellow-clerk's face looked cold
and hard.

But Anson's aspect changed the next moment, as soon as he saw he was
observed, and he said, with a broad grin: "Wish I was a betting man: I
could easily win half-a-crown or two over this."

But it struck West that there was a ring of insincerity in the tone of
his voice, and the hard look began to come like a grey shadow over his
fat pink cheeks as he saw the chief searcher go closer up to the Kaffir,
bring his hands down heavily upon the man's shoulders, and stand facing
him and looking him full in the eyes.

There was utter silence now. The Kaffir stood for a moment firmly
gazing back into his white holder's eyes; but it manifestly required a
strong effort, and West felt sure that he saw a quiver like a shadow of
dread run down the black, making his knees slightly shake.

The whole thing was momentary, and the looker-on could not feel sure.
Then the searcher spoke.

"You're a clever one," he said, with a harsh laugh, "and you don't mind
hurting yourself to do a bit of the illicit. Turn round."

He gave the Kaffir a sharp thrust with one hand, a pull with the other,
and the man stood with his back to the lookers-on.

CHAPTER THREE.

RATHER SUSPICIOUS.

What followed was performed with the quick dexterity of a clever
surgeon, the searcher bending down, grasping the great firm muscles of
the Kaffir's right leg about mid-way between hip and knee, and pressing
hard with his two thumbs, when to the surprise of West a small
perpendicular slit opened and a good-sized diamond was forced out, to
fall upon the ground and be received by the under-searcher, while the
wound closed up again with all the elasticity of a cut made in a piece
of indiarubber.

"Bravo!" cried West, and then he held his breath as he saw the clever
manipulation performed upon the Kaffir's other leg, a second diamond
being forced out of the man's elastic muscle, to be secured in turn.

"That will do," said the chief searcher, after a quick glance down the
Kaffir's arms, the man scowling and