of carrying off those
diamonds for twenty years. When my friend told me of it ten days ago I
did not believe that it could be possible; but he has certainly shown
that he was correct in his opinion."

Mark then related the history of the jewels, surprising the pugilists
and detectives as much as the Lieutenant.

"It is extraordinary indeed," the latter said. "I should not have
believed it possible that men would devote so many years to such a
purpose, nor that they could have succeeded in tracing the diamonds in
spite of the precaution taken by your uncle, and afterwards by yourself.
It would seem that from the time he landed in England he, and after him
your father and yourself, must have been watched almost night and day.
I can understand now why they did not take your watch and money.
They evidently acted from a sort of religious enthusiasm, and were no
ordinary thieves, but as evidently they did not hesitate to kill, I
cannot understand why they should have added to their risks by sparing
you."

"No, that is what puzzles me," Mark agreed. "I was thinking it over
while we were driving here. Now let me hear about the fight, Dick. How
did you all come out of it?"

"As well as could be expected. Gibbons and Tring both got some heavy
blows with the cudgels, as indeed we all did more or less, but they did
great execution. Eleven fellows were left senseless on the ground, and
one of them, that black fellow who came over with us, was killed. The
other ten are all in prison. All of us did our best, and managed to
leave our mark on eight others, who were in consequence picked out, and
are also in jail."

Dick went on to relate the particulars of the search.

"You see, our friend here had traced you to the barge and found out her
destination, and if you had come ten minutes later you would have found
that we had all just started for Rotterdam. I was only waiting for
Chester and Malcolm to return to set out. I am sorry, Mark, that you
have lost your diamonds; not so much because they are gone, for I can
well understand you to be thoroughly glad to be rid of such dangerous
articles, but because they have carried them off in our teeth, after we
have been specially retained to protect you. I certainly thought that
with such a bodyguard you were absolutely safe from any number of
Hindoos."

"Yes, we made a regular mess of it, Mr. Thorndyke," Gibbons said. "I
never felt so certain of winning a battle as I did that you woul