mselves into the tunnel of their own motion--a very cataract
of gold! As fast as they were carried away, more came tumbling--a flow
of riches, ceaseless! Inspector Val flashed his lantern here and there
in disclosure of the wonderful beauties of the work. As he did so,
Richard heard him sigh in a positive contentment of admiration.

"The most scientific job in the history of the police!" whispered
Inspector Val. "London Bill is certainly entitled to his rank as the
world's foremost box-worker! It's this sort of a thing that makes you
respect a man!"

Richard was driven to smile again as he recalled the sleepy, intolerant
exquisite, gloved and boutonniered, whom he met in Willard's, and
compared him with the thief-hunting enthusiast who, dark-lantern in hand
and crouching under the low clay roof of the tunnel, was so rapturously
expounding the genius of the great burglar.

"But greater still," continued Inspector Val, "greater than London Bill,
was that Russian party Storri. And to think this was his first--that he
was only a beginner! I used to wonder how he was going to bring out the
gold; and I'm free to admit I couldn't answer the question. Sometimes,
I'd even think he had blundered; I'd figure on him as the amateur who
had only considered the business of going to the gold, without
remembering that getting away with it was bound to be the hardest part
of the trick. You can see yourself," and here Inspector Val appealed to
Richard, "and you no crook at all, that if it ever became a case of
lugging out this gold by hand, it would take the gang a week to get away
with a half-million. It was when Storri ordered those circular rubber
rafts that I fell to it all; it was then I took off my hat to him!"

When Richard and Inspector Val were again at the mouth of the drain, the
lashing storm had worn itself out. The night was silently serene; the
clouds were breaking, and two or three big stars peered down. There was
a moon, and having advantage of a rift in the clouds, a ray struck white
on Arlington. Over across, one might make out the tall dark Maryland
hills. Far away on the river burned the lights of the _Zulu Queen_; she
was holding her best speed down-stream, having reason to think her
recent anchorage a perilous one.

"Their hearts will be in their mouths until they clear Point Comfort,"
said Inspector Val, pointing to the retreating _Zulu Queen_. Then
turning to Mr. Duff, who, with Mr. England, had faithfully met