unscrupulous tool."

"I know the very man. He is devoted to my interests, and a bitter
enemy of McKay's."

"We shall succeed then, never fear," and with these words Mr. Hobson
took his leave.

CHAPTER XXIII.

WAR TO THE KNIFE.

Since we left him at Gibraltar McKay had led a busy life. The "Horse
Purchase" was in full swing upon the north front, where, in a short
space of time, many hundreds of animals were picketed ready for
shipment to the East. Having set this part of his enterprise on foot,
he had proceeded to the Spanish ports on the Eastern coast and
repeated the process.

Alicante was the great centre of his operations on this side, and
there, by means of dealers and contractors, he speedily collected a
large supply of mules. They were kept in the bull-ring and the grounds
adjoining, a little way out of the town. A number of native muleteers
were engaged to look after them, and McKay succeeded in giving the
whole body of men and mules some sort of military organisation.

They were a rough lot, these local muleteers, the scum and riff-raff
of Valencia--black-muzzled, dark-skinned mongrels, half Moors, half
Spaniards, lawless, turbulent, and quarrelsome.

Fights were frequent amongst them--sanguinary struggles, in which the
murderous native knife played a prominent part, and both antagonists
were often stabbed and slashed to death.

The local authorities looked askance at this gathering of rascaldom,
and gave them a wide berth. But McKay went fearlessly amongst his
reprobate followers, administering a rough-and-ready sort of
discipline, and keeping them as far as possible within bounds.

It was his custom to pay a nightly visit to his charge. He went
through the lines, saw that the night-patrols were on the alert, and
the rest of the men quiet.

Repeatedly the overseers next him in authority cautioned him against
venturing out of the town so late.

"There are evil people about," said his head man, a worthy "scorpion,"
whom he had brought with him from Gibraltar. "Your worship would do
better to stay at home at night."

"What have I to fear?" replied McKay, stoutly. "I have my revolver; I
can take care of myself."

They evidently did not think so, for it became the rule for a couple
of them to escort him back to town without his knowledge.

They followed at a little distance behind him, carrying lanterns, and
keeping him always in sight.

One night McKay discovered their kind intention