arations. It was not long before I found a mighty
organization at work from the Zambesi to the Cape. The great tribes
were up to their necks in the conspiracy, and all manner of little
sects had been taken in. I have sat at tribal councils and been sworn
a blood brother, and I have used the secret password to get knowledge
in odd places. It was a dangerous game, and, as I have said, I had my
adventures, but I came safe out of it--with my knowledge.

'The first thing I found out was that there was a great deal of wealth
somewhere among the tribes. Much of it was in diamonds, which the
labourers stole from the mines and the chiefs impounded. Nearly every
tribe had its secret chest, and our friend Laputa had the use of them
all. Of course the difficulty was changing the diamonds into coin, and
he had to start I.D.B. on a big scale. Your pal, Henriques, was the
chief agent for this, but he had others at Mozambique and Johannesburg,
ay, and in London, whom I have on my list. With the money, guns and
ammunition were bought, and it seems that a pretty flourishing trade
has been going on for some time. They came in mostly overland through
Portuguese territory, though there have been cases of consignments to
Johannesburg houses, the contents of which did not correspond with the
invoice. You ask what the Governments were doing to let this go on.
Yes, and you may well ask. They were all asleep. They never dreamed
of danger from the natives, and in any case it was difficult to police
the Portuguese side. Laputa knew our weakness, and he staked
everything on it.

'My first scheme was to lay Laputa by the heels; but no Government
would act on my information. The man was strongly buttressed by public
support at home, and South Africa has burned her fingers before this
with arbitrary arrests. Then I tried to fasten I.D.B. on him, but I
could not get my proofs till too late. I nearly had him in Durban, but
he got away; and he never gave me a second chance. For five months he
and Henriques have been lying low, because their scheme was getting
very ripe. I have been following them through Zululand and Gazaland,
and I have discovered that the train is ready, and only wants the
match. For a month I have never been more than five hours behind him
on the trail; and if he has laid his train, I have laid mine also.'

Arcoll's whimsical, humorous face had hardened into grimness, and in
his eyes there was the light of a fierce