man, that brings you down at this time of night?"

"Only that the _coppers_ are going to start at daylight looking for the
_Merry Duchess_. I heard the Inspector say so himself."

"At daylight, are they?" croaked the old hag. "Well, I wish 'em joy of
their search, I do--them--them! Any more news, my dear?"

"The master and that long-legged slab of a Hatteras went out to-night
down the harbour. The old man brought home a lot of money bags, but what
was in 'em was only dummies."

"I know that, too, my dear. Nicely they was sold. Ha! ha!"

She chuckled like an old fiend, and then began to cut up another pipe of
tobacco in the palm of her hand like a man. She smoked negro head, and
the reek of it came out through the keyhole to me. But the younger woman
was evidently impatient, for she rose and said:--

"When do they sail with the girl, Sally?"

"They're gone, my dear. They went at ten to-night."

At this news my heart began to throb painfully.

"They weren't long about it," said the younger girl.

"That Nikola's not long about anything," remarked the old woman.

"I hope Pipa Lannu will agree with her health--the stuck-up minx--I do!"
the younger remarked spitefully. "Now where's the money he said I was to
have. Give it to me and let me be off. I shall get the sack if this is
found out."

"It was five pound I was to give yer, wasn't it?" the elder woman said.

"Ten," said the younger sharply. "No larks, Sally. I know too much for
you!"

"Oh, you know a lot, honey, don't you? Of course you'd be expected to
know more than old Aunt Sally, who's never seen anything at all,
wouldn't you? Go along with you!"

"Hand me over the money, I say, and let me be off!"

"Of course you do know a lot more, don't you? There's a pound!"

While they were wrangling over the payment I crept down the passage
again to the front door. Once I had reached it, I opened it softly and
went out, closing it carefully behind me. Then I took to my heels and
ran down the street in the direction I had come. Inquiring my way here
and there from policemen, I eventually reached home, scaled the wall,
and went across the garden to the morning-room window. This I opened,
and by its help made my way into the house and upstairs. As I had
expected that he would have gone to bed, my astonishment was
considerable at meeting Mr. Wetherell on the landing.

"Well, what have you discovered?" he asked anxiously as I came up to
him.

"Information of th