ndah at
the sleeping figure. Then he hoisted himself over the low wall and
stole along the wooden flooring. It took more than a minute to reach
the door of the room which Dick had recently vacated, for the sleeper
was evidently troubled with dreams, and he breathed and snorted heavily,
each sound bringing the robber to a stop, and setting him shivering with
apprehension, for this half-caste was a coward at heart. But at length
he found himself within the room.

"Beneath the bed," he said to himself. "That's where his father kept
the gold, and no doubt the young fool does the same. He'll have left
the box there, and I shall be able to get it and slip away without
discovery."

He was at the bed by now, and his arms were groping vainly beneath it.
An oath escaped him when he discovered that the box was gone, and he sat
back on his heels trembling, and furious with disappointment.

"Perhaps he has moved it," he said at length. "He guessed that some one
was about, else why did he go on to the verandah to keep watch, and why
the gun? I'll strike a match and take a look round. First of all, is
he quiet?"

He stole to the open door and peered at the recumbent figure, now half
illuminated by the moon. He could see the head lolling forward, the
hands and arms trailing to the floor, and the stock of the rifle. The
legs and feet, and the box for which he sought, were still in the
shadow.

"All's well," he thought. "A match will not awake him, and there is no
one about to see the light."

There was a faint, rasping sound, and the glimmer of a flame lit the
room. The half-caste searched each corner diligently till the match
burned to his fingers. Then he flung it aside with an oath and rapidly
struck another.

"Then he must have the box with him," he exclaimed hoarsely, while the
frown on his ugly brows increased as he realised that his difficulties
were suddenly increased. "He's asleep. I'll capture the prize and run
to the nearest shadow. If he follows--"

His fingers felt the lock of the revolver while he lifted the weapon and
took aim at the moonlit doorway.

"I could hit him with ease, though I have never fired one of these
before," he said. "Time's going. It must be done at once."

Bracing himself with the thought, the miscreant stole to the door, and
then along the verandah till he was close to Dick. His hand went out to
search for the coveted box, and then drew back suddenly, while the blood
i