Bultitude; however, he tried to calm his
uneasiness and persuade himself that it was part of the plot.

"Will you say that?" cried Dick excitedly.

"On one condition, which I'll tell you by-and-by. Yes, I'll stand by
you, my boy, I'll coach you till I make you a man of business every bit
as good as your father, and a much better man of the world. I'll show
you how to realise a colossal fortune if you only take my advice. And
we'll pack Papa off to some place abroad where he'll have no holidays
and give no trouble!"

"No," said Dick firmly; "I won't have that. After all, he's my
governor."

"Do what you like with him then, he can't do much harm. I tell you, I'll
do all this, on one condition--it's a very simple one----"

"What is it?" asked Dick.

"This. You have, somewhere or other, the Stone that has done all this
for you--you may have it about you at this very moment--ah!" (as Dick
made a sudden movement towards his white waistcoat) "I thought so! Well,
I want that Stone. You were afraid to leave it in my hands for a minute
or two just now; you must trust me with it altogether."

Paul was relieved; of course this was merely an artifice to recover the
Garuda Stone, and Marmaduke was not playing him false after all--he
waited breathlessly for Dick's answer.

"No," said Dick, "I can't do that; I want it too."

"Why, man, what use is it to you? it only gives you one wish, you can't
use it again."

Dick mumbled something about his being ill, and Barbara wishing him well
again.

"I suppose I can do that as well as Barbara," said his uncle. "Come,
don't be obstinate, give me the Stone; it's very important that it
should be in safe hands."

"No," said Dick obstinately; he was fumbling all the time irresolutely
in his pockets; "I mean to keep it myself."

"Very well then, I have done with you. To-morrow morning I shall step up
to Mincing Lane, and then to your father's solicitor. I think his
offices are in Bedford Row, but I can easily find out at your father's
place. After that, young man, you'll have a very short time to amuse
yourself in, so make the best of it."

"No, don't leave me, let me alone for a minute," pleaded Dick, still
fumbling.

At this a sudden suspicion of his brother-in-law's motives for wishing
to get the Stone into his own hands overcame all Paul's prudence. If he
was so clever in deceiving Dick, might he not be cheating _him_, too,
just as completely? He could wait no longer, but bur