s destination."

"How would you set to work?" demanded his master.

"You do what you can inside," said Chivey, "and I'll lay in wait for
the messenger with the letter outside in case you fail."

"Good."

"You can buy that gaoler," said the tiger.

"I will."

"Do so. Your task is the easier of the two. Ten francs ought to square
him."

"It ought," said Murray; "but I question if it will."

* * * *

Murray was doomed to a sad disappointment in his operations, for do
what he would, he could not "get at" the man charged with delivering
the Harkaways' letters.

But he contrived to ascertain who the man was, and to give a
description of him to the tiger.

Chivey saw the man come out of the prison, and he thought over various
plans for getting hold of the letter which he knew that he must be
carrying.

His first idea was to go up to him and address him straight off upon
the subject; but this would not do.

The messenger would in all probability take the alarm.

He next had an idea of following up the messenger, and after giving him
a crack on the head, rifling his pockets.

This idea he abandoned even sooner than the first, and this for sundry
wholesome reasons.

Firstly, the man's road did not lead him into any sufficiently quiet
places for such an attempt.

Secondly, the man was a tough-looking customer, and an awkward fellow
to tackle.

And thirdly--but the second reason sufficed to send Chivey's mind away
from all ideas of violence.

No; deeds of daring were not at all in Chivey's line.

He had a notion, however, and this was to go as fast as he could to the
British consul's, and there to be ready for the messenger when he came.

His plans were not more matured than this; but chance seemed to very
much favour this precious pair of youthful scamps--for the time being,
at any rate.

* * * *

Chivey timed his own arrival at the consul's residence, so as to be
there just a few minutes in advance of the prison messenger.

The servant who admitted him was an Englishman, and told Chivey that
his master was particularly engaged just then, and would not be visible
for some considerable time.

"Be so good as to ask when I can see your master," said Chivey, with an
air of lofty condescension.

"I must not disturb him now," said the servant.

"He will be very vexed with you if you don't," returned Chivey, "whe