"There's more money in oysters," the Porpoise remarked dryly.

Mr. Taft turned impatiently on his heel and walked away. From out of the
corner of his eye, Charley noted the way he went. Several minutes later,
when he had disappeared around a corner, Charley rose lazily to his
feet. I followed him, and we sauntered off in the opposite direction to
that taken by Mr. Taft.

"Come on! Lively!" Charley whispered, when we passed from the view of
the oyster fleet.

Our course was changed at once, and we dodged around corners and raced
up and down side-streets till Mr. Taft's generous form loomed up ahead
of us.

"I'm going to interview him about that reward," Charley explained, as
we rapidly overhauled the oyster-bed owner. "Neil will be delayed here
for a week, and you and I might as well be doing something in the
meantime. What do you say?"

"Of course, of course," Mr. Taft said, when Charley had introduced
himself and explained his errand. "Those thieves are robbing me of
thousands of dollars every year, and I shall be glad to break them up at
any price,--yes, sir, at any price. As I said, I'll give fifty dollars a
head, and call it cheap at that. They've robbed my beds, torn down my
signs, terrorized my watchmen, and last year killed one of them.
Couldn't prove it. All done in the blackness of night. All I had was a
dead watchman and no evidence. The detectives could do nothing. Nobody
has been able to do anything with those men. We have never succeeded in
arresting one of them. So I say, Mr.---- What did you say your name
was?"

"Le Grant," Charley answered.

"So I say, Mr. Le Grant, I am deeply obliged to you for the assistance
you offer. And I shall be glad, most glad, sir, to co-operate with you
in every way. My watchmen and boats are at your disposal. Come and see
me at the San Francisco offices any time, or telephone at my expense.
And don't be afraid of spending money. I'll foot your expenses,
whatever they are, so long as they are within reason. The situation is
growing desperate, and something must be done to determine whether I or
that band of ruffians own those oyster beds."

"Now we'll see Neil," Charley said, when he had seen Mr. Taft upon his
train to San Francisco.

Not only did Neil Partington interpose no obstacle to our adventure, but
he proved to be of the greatest assistance. Charley and I knew nothing
of the oyster industry, while his head was an encyclopaedia of facts
concerning it. Also,