, and I pinned it on his
bosom. It was too much that he should be taken to the grave without
some token from the men whom he had robbed and befooled.

"We earned a living at this time by my exhibiting poor Tonga at fairs
and other such places as the black cannibal. He would eat raw meat and
dance his war-dance: so we always had a hatful of pennies after a
day's work. I still heard all the news from Pondicherry Lodge, and for
some years there was no news to hear, except that they were hunting for
the treasure. At last, however, came what we had waited for so long.
The treasure had been found. It was up at the top of the house, in Mr.
Bartholomew Sholto's chemical laboratory. I came at once and had a
look at the place, but I could not see how with my wooden leg I was to
make my way up to it. I learned, however, about a trap-door in the
roof, and also about Mr. Sholto's supper-hour. It seemed to me that I
could manage the thing easily through Tonga. I brought him out with me
with a long rope wound round his waist. He could climb like a cat, and
he soon made his way through the roof, but, as ill luck would have it,
Bartholomew Sholto was still in the room, to his cost. Tonga thought
he had done something very clever in killing him, for when I came up by
the rope I found him strutting about as proud as a peacock. Very much
surprised was he when I made at him with the rope's end and cursed him
for a little blood-thirsty imp. I took the treasure-box and let it
down, and then slid down myself, having first left the sign of the four
upon the table, to show that the jewels had come back at last to those
who had most right to them. Tonga then pulled up the rope, closed the
window, and made off the way that he had come.

"I don't know that I have anything else to tell you. I had heard a
waterman speak of the speed of Smith's launch the Aurora, so I thought
she would be a handy craft for our escape. I engaged with old Smith,
and was to give him a big sum if he got us safe to our ship. He knew,
no doubt, that there was some screw loose, but he was not in our
secrets. All this is the truth, and if I tell it to you, gentlemen, it
is not to amuse you,--for you have not done me a very good turn,--but
it is because I believe the best defence I can make is just to hold
back nothing, but let all the world know how badly I have myself been
served by Major Sholto, and how innocent I am of the death of his son."

"A very rem