I had no secrets from each other
when we were together.

And this was the part of wisdom as well as for friendship's sake. I
knew always just how his work stood, and should disaster or delay
overtake him, I knew just how to report or to go on with his work, as
he with mine.

When he joined me, I saw at once that he was more than usually
animated, and, contrary to his usual custom, he came straight to the
business upon his mind:

'Old man, I have seen Delbras.'

CHAPTER XIII.

FACE TO FACE WITH DELBRAS.

'You have found Delbras?' I echoed. This was news indeed, and I waited
eagerly for further information.

'Yes, sir. I'm sure of it. I don't doubt it; and it was in Midway
Plaisance.'

'Go on, Dave.'

'Well, it's a short story. I had been lounging around the big wheel
for some time--that monster has a sort of fascination for me; it makes
me feel like a small boy, unable to gape enough. I was looking at the
people coming and going, and I almost forgot that it was noon, until I
heard someone say close beside me, "Almost noon, Jack. Let's get out
of this." That startled me. I had not thought it was so late, and I
took a look at old Sol and started on. I was walking pretty brisk, and
all at once I came up behind a couple that made me start. One of them
was Greenback Bob, past doubt, and the other was, or so I first
thought, an Arab dressed in American trousers and coat and wearing a
fez; but when I came closer and looked him well over I was sure it
was Delbras--there were all the points, everything; and I followed
them, feeling as pleased as if I had them already in bracelets; and
then, just as I was wondering where they were going, they brought up
in a crowd before one of those Turkish theatres. The hustler was
hustling in his last crowd before dinner, and when the two pushed
their way to the ticket booth I kept close behind them.

'Well, sir, they were close by the place, but they bought no tickets,
that I'll swear; nevertheless, before I could take in the situation
they were walking past the man at the entrance and into the show, and
I made all haste to buy a ticket and follow them.

'Of course I felt sure that I was following, for I had seen them pass
through the inner door; but when I got inside, and began to look
around me, they were not there, neither of them. I looked through the
audience, it was a very thin one; made my way down to the stage to
look for the door by which they had escaped me,