are sneaking robbers, others are open.
Every man to his taste. I have been doing a little of the world's work
openly of late, and I come here with part of the result to give you a
chance of robbing me in the other way."

"Nay, nay, you are altogether too hard," returned the Jew, with a
deprecating smile; "but come to my little office. We shall have more
privacy there. How comes it, Pungarin, that you are so far from your
own waters? It is a longish way from Ceylon to Borneo."

"How comes it," replied the Malay, "that the sea-mew flies far from
home? There is no limit to the flight of a sea-rover, save the
sea-shore."

"True, true," returned the Jew, with a nod of intelligence; "but here is
my place of business. Enter my humble abode, and pray be seated."

Pungarin stooped to pass the low doorway, and seated himself beside a
small deal table which, although destitute of a cloth, was thickly
covered with ink-stains. The Malay rover was clad in a thin loose red
jacket, a short petticoat or kilt, and yellow trousers. A red fez, with
a kerchief wound round it turban fashion, covered his head. He was a
well-made stalwart man, with a handsome but fierce-looking countenance.

From beneath the loose jacket Pungarin drew forth a small, richly
chased, metal casket. Placing it on the table he opened it, and,
turning it upside down, poured from it a little cataract of glittering
jewellery.

"Ha! My friend," exclaimed his companion, "you have got a prize. Where
did you find it?"

"I might answer, `What is that to you?' but I won't, for I wish to keep
you in good humour till our business is concluded. Here, then, are the
facts connected with the case. Not long ago some Englishmen came out to
Hong-Kong to dive to a vessel which had been wrecked on an island off
the coast. My worthy agent there, Dwarro, cast his eyes on them and
soon found out all about their plans. Dwarro is a very intelligent
fellow. Like yourself, he has a good deal of the sneaking robber about
him. He ascertained that the wreck had much gold coin in it, and so
managed that they hired his boat to go off to it with their diving
apparatus. Somewhat against their will he accompanied them. They were
very successful. The first time they went on shore, they took with them
gold to the value of about twenty thousand pounds. Dwarro cleverly
managed to have this secured a few hours after it was landed. He also
made arrangements to have a fleet of