th fury. The big veins stood out upon his temples,
and the hand that still held the magnifying glass was now clenched in a
grip of iron, that trembled, not from weakness, but from the violence
of his anger and emotion.

Dick saw the man with new eyes: this was no worn-out old scientist,
such as he had deemed him; but a man still strong and vigorous, in
spite of his three-score and ten years, a man in whom the hot blood of
passion could still work wonders. And the younger man realized that if
the strong hand were necessary in this affair, he would by no means
need to play it alone.

"Gott im Himmel!" he muttered hoarsely, as Dick finished. "Diebstahl
und rauberei! . . . and through me! For I have been a fool, and I have
been also to blame. Look you, Herr Sydney, now can I see but too
clearly that I have neglected my work, and looked but little to the
fields themselves but to the diamonds and the gravel they brought with
them. Numskull! dummkopf! That I have been it is but now that I see
also how they have advantage taken of this hobby of mine. Each day they
have brought me spiders, and scorpions, and snakes to examine even now
I have almost a hundred specimens alive! And so they have thrown sand
in my eyes, and would have made a criminal of me even as they are
themselves. Schaendlich und verraetherisch schwein-hunden! But for you,
friend, they would have robbed me of my good name, and shamed me before
the world. But for you, friend!"

As he spoke, still in a hoarse whisper, he rose and grasped Dick's
hand, and strong as the latter was he winced at the vigor of that iron
grip.

"And now come!" said he, simply, turning as though to leave the tent.

Dick caught his arm. "No! no!" said he in a tense and eager whisper
"what would you do?"

"Take them bind them disarm them . . . take them prisoners to
Luderitzbucht to pay for their knavery," muttered the old man savagely.
"Six and with arms, you say! And what care I for six such schwein-
hunden? And you, Herr Sydney, I know you are both strong and fearless?"

"Oh, nothing would suit me better than to smash up the whole outfit,
but what good would it do?" urged Dick. "It's their six words against
ours, or rather against mine, so far! And most of 'em are German, as
you know, and well in with the authorities in Luderitzbucht. And I'm
English, what hope will my word have against theirs there? Besides,
sir, the story as it stands will be all against yourself!"

"Donner-we