game
was deeper than that. Purvis was far too clever to waste his talents
in dabbling in paltry matters, or in securing a small sum of money for
himself. He was a man who worked in big figures, and it was evident
that he meant to pull off a good thing.

That his dishonesty was proved was beyond all manner of doubt, and the
only thing was to watch events and to see what would now happen. If
Purvis gave them the slip what was to be done in the future?

'I believe he will try to save his steamer,' said Ross, after a long
silence.

Every one was thinking of the same subject, and his abrupt exclamation
needed no explanation.

'If he could trust his hands he might,' said the commissario in
halting, broken English; 'but I doubt if they or the peons have been
paid lately.'

'Besides, on the steamer,' said Toffy, 'he could be easily caught.'

'Yes,' said Dunbar, 'if he knows that we want to catch him, which he
doesn't. He is afraid of the people at La Dorada now; but he is
probably unaware of the warm welcome that awaits him in Buenos Ayres.'

Dunbar went to the door again to see if there was any sign of his
messenger returning from the telegraph office. The sun was flaming to
westward, and Hopwood had moved the dinner-table out into the patio,
and was setting dinner there.

'He will do the unexpected thing,' said Ross at last. 'If Purvis ever
says he is going to sit up late I know that is the one night of the
week he will go to bed early.'

They went out into the patio, and Ross swizzled a cocktail, and they
fell to eating dinner; but Dunbar was looking at his watch from time to
time, and then turning his glance eastward to the track where his
messenger might appear. It was an odd thing, and one of which they
were all unaware, that even a slight noise made each man raise his head
alertly for a moment as though he might expect an attack.

The sun went down, and still no messenger appeared. They sat down to
play bridge in the little drawing-room, and pretended to be interested
in the fall of the cards.

'That must be my telegram now,' said Dunbar, starting to his feet as a
horse's hoofs were plainly heard in the stillness of the solitary camp.
'Well, I 'm damned,' he said. He held the flimsy paper close to his
near-sighted eyes, and read the message to the other men sitting at the
table:

'Smith, or Purvis, at present on board his own steamer in midstream
opposite La Dorada. Fully armed and alone. Crew