ou must see for
yourselves how uncertain it all is."

"In that case we should be prepared to give security for the first-named
amount, or pay you half in advance," Kitwater replied. "I hope you do
not think, Mr. Fairfax, that we are endeavouring to play you false? You
can see for yourself that our injuries are permanent, and, as far as
they go, are at least evidence concerning the truth of our story. You
can also see for yourself how this man has behaved towards us. He has
robbed us of all we hold valuable, and to his act of treachery we owe
the mutilations we have suffered. Can you wonder that we are anxious to
find him?"

"I do not wonder at that at all," I said. "My only feeling is that I
must regard it as an entirely business matter."

"We cannot blame you," Kitwater replied. "Yet you must surely understand
our anxiety for a definite and immediate answer. The man has had a
considerable start of us already, and he has doubtless disposed of the
jewels ere this. At whatever price he sold them, he must now be in
possession of a considerable fortune, which rightly belongs to us. We
are not vindictive men; all we ask is for our own."

"I quite agree with you there," I replied. "The only question in my mind
is, who shall get it for you? Let me explain matters a little more
clearly. In the first place I have no desire to offend you, but how am I
to know that the story you tell me is a true one?"

"I have already told you that you will have to take our word for that,"
he said. "It will be a great disappointment to us if you cannot take the
matter up, but we must bear it as we have borne our other misfortunes.
When we realized the way you managed those bank people we said to each
other--'That's the man for us! If any one can catch Hayle he's that
person.' It naturally comes to us as a disappointment to find that you
are not willing to take up the case."

"I have not said that I am not willing," I answered; "I only said that I
am not going to commit myself until I have given the matter due
consideration. If you will call here at four o'clock to-morrow
afternoon, I shall be able to give you a definite answer."

"I suppose we must be content with that," said Kitwater lugubriously.

They thereupon thanked me and rose to go.

"By the way," I said, "does this man Hayle know that you are in
England?"

The blind man shook his head.

"He thinks we are lying dead in the jungle," he said, "and it is not his
fault that we a