r. Longways had finished, he smacked his lips and set down his
glass with a great air. "And now," says he, with a comical grimace of
vanity and self-importance, "let us to business without loss of more
time. First of all, I have to ask you, sir, do you know what all this
treasure is for?"

I told him yes; that Mr. Evans had informed me that it was as payment
for certain aid which the East India Company had rendered to the king of
that country.

"And how," says he, very slowly, and cocking his head upon one
side--"and how do you think our King Coffee is to make such payments? By
bills upon the Bank of Africa? No, no. The treasure is all in this box,
every farthing of it; and I, sir, have been chosen by the honorable East
India Company to have sole and entire charge of it for more than two
weeks past." Here he looked at me very hard, as though he thought I
would have made some remark upon what he had told me; but as I said
nothing he presently resumed his discourse, after his own fashion. "I
see," says he, "that you do not appreciate the magnitude of the trust
that hath been imposed upon me. I shall show you, sir." And without more
ado he fetched up a bunch of keys out of his pocket. He looked at them
one after another until he found one somewhat smaller than the rest, and
with very curiously wrought guards. "Look at this," says he; "there are
only three in the world like it. I hold one, King Coffee the other, and
the Governor of Bombay the third." So saying, he thrust the key into the
lock of the despatch-box. "Stop a bit, sir," said I, very seriously,
and laying my hand on his arm. "Have you very well considered what you
are doing? Mr. Evans, the Company's agent, said nothing to me concerning
the nature of the trust that was to be imposed upon me further than it
was of very great value; and without you have received instructions to
tell me further concerning this business, I much misdoubt that the
Company intended me to be further informed as to its nature."

"Why, look 'ee, Captain Mackra," says he, testily, "Tom Evans is one man
and I am another, and I tell you further that I am as important an agent
as he, even though he does live in London and I in this outrageous
heathen country. Even if I had not intended showing you this treasure
before, I would show it to you now, for I do not choose that anybody
should think that Tom Evans is a man of more importance than I." So
saying, and without more ado, he gave a quick t