The policeman fumbled with the lock, threw back the lid, and
simultaneously gave vent to a terrific yell, as he flung himself
violently backwards. For from the open box rose the writhing forms of
half a dozen big cobras, their hoods flattened and arched, vicious and
ready to strike, whilst over one of the corners came gliding the broad
flattened head and bloated body of a huge puff-adder.

Within five seconds no one remained in the big tent but the dead man
and the professor, who, laughing softly, proceeded to collect his
straying pets; showing an utter disregard of any danger of being
bitten, accountable for by the fact that he had removed every fang from
the poisonous specimens long before.

Dick had been as lively as any one in making tracks, for he had a
horror of snakes, and as he burst from the tent his foot caught in a
guy-rope and down he went with the big wachtmeister sprawling on top of
him. Both scrambled up in quick time, for each of them imagined he had
snakes crawling all over him, but as Dick rose to his feet, out from
the bosom of his shirt fell the red handkerchief full of diamonds he
had found the day before, and as it fell out rolled a dozen or more of
the little brilliants and lay there flashing and sparkling in the sun-
light.

"Donner-wetter!" yelled the wachtmeister, "the diamonds! Here is the
thief!" And instantly he seized Dick in a formidable grip.

Curses and execrations burst from the other men, who, wildly excited,
crowded round Dick and the diamonds threatening and exulting.

"Thief! Scoundrel! Rascally mule-driver! Schwein-hund!" they cried.

"The handcuffs, Brietmann! Quick!" shouted the sergeant, and Dick
realized instantly the seriousness of his position. He had had no
opportunity of telling the professor of the find he had made; and who
among these rogues each eager to fix the guilt on some one else and
discredit the tale both the dead man and Junes had told would believe
him if he told the story now?

The quantity of diamonds he had found about equaled the stolen contents
of the box, and things could scarcely look blacker for him. He knew the
law was likely to be severe with him, as a Britisher he would probably
get the extreme sentence. There was no one but the professor to appeal
to and, bitter thought, would even he believe him with all this damning
evidence against him? All this passed through his mind in an instant,
as he stood in amazement, too taken aback to speak, an