of thought. I could see by the twitch of his lip that there was a
struggle going on within him.

"'This is a very important matter, Small,' he said, at last. 'You must
not say a word to any one about it, and I shall see you again soon.'

"Two nights later he and his friend Captain Morstan came to my hut in
the dead of the night with a lantern.

"'I want you just to let Captain Morstan hear that story from your own
lips, Small,' said he.

"I repeated it as I had told it before.

"'It rings true, eh?' said he. 'It's good enough to act upon?'

"Captain Morstan nodded.

"'Look here, Small,' said the major. 'We have been talking it over, my
friend here and I, and we have come to the conclusion that this secret
of yours is hardly a government matter, after all, but is a private
concern of your own, which of course you have the power of disposing of
as you think best. Now, the question is, what price would you ask for
it? We might be inclined to take it up, and at least look into it, if
we could agree as to terms.' He tried to speak in a cool, careless
way, but his eyes were shining with excitement and greed.

"'Why, as to that, gentlemen,' I answered, trying also to be cool, but
feeling as excited as he did, 'there is only one bargain which a man in
my position can make. I shall want you to help me to my freedom, and
to help my three companions to theirs. We shall then take you into
partnership, and give you a fifth share to divide between you.'

"'Hum!' said he. 'A fifth share! That is not very tempting.'

"'It would come to fifty thousand apiece,' said I.

"'But how can we gain your freedom? You know very well that you ask an
impossibility.'

"'Nothing of the sort,' I answered. 'I have thought it all out to the
last detail. The only bar to our escape is that we can get no boat fit
for the voyage, and no provisions to last us for so long a time. There
are plenty of little yachts and yawls at Calcutta or Madras which would
serve our turn well. Do you bring one over. We shall engage to get
aboard her by night, and if you will drop us on any part of the Indian
coast you will have done your part of the bargain.'

"'If there were only one,' he said.

"'None or all,' I answered. 'We have sworn it. The four of us must
always act together.'

"'You see, Morstan,' said he, 'Small is a man of his word. He does not
flinch from his friend. I think we may very well trust him.'

"'It's a dirty business