bacco-box. It fell and rolled at Clubin's
feet.

Clubin knelt without lowering his gaze; felt about for the box with his
left hand, keeping all the while his eyes and the six barrels of the
revolver fixed upon Rantaine.

Then he cried:

"Turn your back, my friend."

Rantaine turned his back.

Sieur Clubin put the revolver under one arm, and touched the spring of
the tobacco-box. The lid flew open.

It contained four bank-notes; three of a thousand pounds, and one of ten
pounds.

He folded up the three bank-notes of a thousand pounds each, replaced
them in the iron tobacco-box, shut the lid again, and put it in his
pocket.

Then he picked up a stone, wrapped it in the ten-pound note, and said:

"You may turn round again."

Rantaine turned.

Sieur Clubin continued:

"I told you I would be contented with three thousand pounds. Here, I
return you ten pounds."

And he threw to Rantaine the note enfolding the stone.

Rantaine, with a movement of his foot, sent the bank-note and the stone
into the sea.

"As you please," said Clubin. "You must be rich. I am satisfied."

The noise of oars, which had been continually drawing nearer during the
dialogue, ceased. They knew by this that the boat had arrived at the
base of the cliff.

"Your vehicle waits below. You can go, Rantaine."

Rantaine advanced towards the steps of stones, and rapidly disappeared.

Clubin moved cautiously towards the edge of the escarpment, and watched
him descending.

The boat had stopped near the last stage of the rocks, at the very spot
where the coast-guardman had fallen.

Still observing Rantaine stepping from stone to stone, Clubin muttered:

"A good number 619. He thought himself alone. Rantaine thought there
were only two there. I alone knew that there were three."

He perceived at his feet the telescope which had dropped from the hands
of the coast-guardman.

The sound of oars was heard again. Rantaine had stepped into the boat,
and the rowers had pushed out to sea.

When Rantaine was safely in the boat, and the cliff was beginning to
recede from his eyes, he arose again abruptly. His features were
convulsed with rage; he clenched his fist and cried:

"Ha! he is the devil himself; a villain!"

A few seconds later, Clubin, from the top of the rock, while bringing
his telescope to bear upon the boat, heard distinctly the following
words articulated by a loud voice, and mingling with the noise of the
sea:

"Sieur C