"Well," said Archie, turning half round from the side table where he
was pouring out the whisky, "he had already started action, by sending
Cockatoo to live at the Sailor's Rest and spy on Hervey."
"What rubbish! Hervey is, going away to-morrow in The Firefly, bound for
Algiers. Nothing is to be learned from him."
"So I told the Professor," said Hope, returning to the armchair near the
fire, "and I mentioned that Don Pedro had induced the skipper to write
out a full account of the theft of the mummy from Lima thirty years
ago. I also said that the signed paper would be handed in at the Gartley
jetty when The Firefly came down stream to-morrow night."
"Humph! And what did Braddock say to that?"
"Nothing much. He merely stated that whatever Hervey said toward proving
the ownership of your future father-in-law, that he intended to stick
to the embalmed corpse of Inca Caxas, and also that he intended to claim
the emeralds when they turned up."
Random rose and went to the drawer of his desk.
"I am afraid he has lost one emerald, at all events," he said, unlocking
the drawer.
"What's that?" said Hope sharply. "Why did you--oh, gosh!" He jumped up
with an amazed look as Random held up the magnificent gem, from which
streamed vividly green flames in the mellow lamplight. "Oh, gosh!"
gasped the artist again. "Where the devil did you get that?"
"I sent for you to tell you," said Sir Frank, giving the jewel into his
friend's hand and coming back to his seat. "It was found in the sentry
box."
Hope stared at the great jewel and then at the soldier.
"What do you mean by that?" he demanded. "How the dickens could it be
found in a sentry box? You must be making a mistake."
"Not a bit of it. It was found on the floor of the box by the sentry, as
I tell you, and I have sent to consult with you as to how the deuce it
got there."
"Hervey," muttered Archie, fascinated by the gem.
Random shrugged his square shoulders.
"Catch that Yankee Shylock returning anything he got his grip on, even
as a wedding present."
"A wedding present," said Hope, more at sea than ever. "If you don't
mind giving me details, old chap, my head would buzz less."
"I rather think that it will buzz more," said Random dryly, and,
producing the brown paper in which the gem had been wrapped, and the
inscribed paper found within, he related all that had happened.
Archie listened quietly and did not interrupt, but the puzzled look on
his face grew more pronounced.
"Well," ended Random, seeing that no remark was made when he had
finished, "what do you think?"