a knife that hanging aint too bad for him, whether he gets it into
a man or not."

There was a growl of assent from two or three sailors standing round,
for in those days the use of the knife was almost unknown in England,
and was abhorrent to Englishmen, both as being cowardly and unfair, and
as being a purely foreign crime.

"It will be dark before we get alongside," Mark said to the two
detectives. "Do you two walk first; we will keep just behind you, and
the others shall follow as close as they can keep to us. If anyone is
looking out for us they will see that we are a strong party, and that it
would be no good to attack us, for even if they were to stab me it would
not be possible to search me for the diamonds when I am with a party
like this."

It was indeed quite dark when the brig brought up outside a tier of
vessels lying by the wharf. A few oil lamps burning by the quay showed
that there were a good many people still sauntering about. The party
waited until the rest of the passengers had landed. They learned from
one of those who knew the place that the hotel to which they were going
was but three or four hundred yards away, and obtained directions how to
find it.

"Now we will go," Mark said. "Gibbons, you had better keep a sharp
lookout on your own account. That fellow you knocked down may try to put
a knife into you."

"I will keep a sharp lookout, sir, never you fear."

"I think, Tring, you had better watch Gibbons; he is more in danger than
I am. Have you seen the man go on shore?"

"Yes, he was the very first to cross onto the next vessel," Tring said.

The loungers on the quay had gathered together to watch the passengers
as they left the ship, and by the dim light from one of the oil lamps it
could be seen that the majority of them were of the roughest class.
As they were passing through them a man with a cry of rage sprang at
Gibbons with an uplifted knife. Tring's fist struck him under the ear as
he was in the act of striking, and he fell like a log. There was a cry
of "Down with them!" and a rush of a score of men, most of whom were
armed with heavy bludgeons.

The party was at once broken up, heavy blows were exchanged, the two
pugilists rolling their assailants over like ninepins, but receiving
several heavy blows from their assailants' clubs. A rush of five or
six men separated Mark from the others. Those in front of him he struck
down, but a moment later received a tremendous blow on