combination for a man who's as white as a sheet one
moment, and as red as a turkey-cock the next."

"Well, Slagg," said Stumps, recovering himself a little, "the fact is,
I've been taken in and robbed."

Hereupon he related all the circumstances of his late adventure to his
astonished and disgusted comrade, who asserted roundly that he was a big
booby, quite unfit to take care of himself.

"Hows'ever, we must do the best we can for you," he continued, "so come
along to the police-office."

Information of the robbery was given, and inquiries instituted without
delay, but without avail. Indeed the chief officer held out little hope
of ultimate success; nevertheless, Slagg endeavoured to buoy up his
friend with assurances that they must surely get hold of the thief in
the long-run.

"And if we don't," he said to Robin and Sam, during a private
conversation on the subject that same night, "we must just give him each
a portion of what we have, for the poor stoopid has shared our trials,
and ought to share our luck."

While Stumps was being thus fleeced in the lower part of the city, Robin
and Sam had gone to make inquiries about Mrs Langley, and at the
Government House they discovered a clerk who had formerly been at
Sarawak, and had heard of the fire, the abduction of the little girl,
and of Mrs Langley having afterwards gone to Bombay; but he also told
them, to their great regret, that she had left for England six months
before their arrival, and he did not know her address, or even the part
of England to which she had gone.

"But," continued the clerk, who was a very friendly fellow, "I'll make
inquiries, and let you know the result, if you leave me your address.
Meanwhile you can amuse yourself by paying a visit to that wonderful
ship, the Great Eastern, which has come to lay a submarine telegraph
cable between this and Aden. Of course you have heard of her arrival--
perhaps seen her."

"O yes," replied Robin. "We intend to visit her at once. She is an old
acquaintance of mine, as I was in her when she laid the Atlantic cable
in 1865. Does Captain Anderson still command her?"

"No," answered the clerk, who seemed much interested in what Robin said.
"She is now commanded by Captain Halpin."

That evening Robin tried to console poor Letta in her disappointment at
not finding her mother, and Sam sought to comfort Stumps for the loss of
his treasure. Neither comforter was very successful. Letta wept in
sp