did not hear us.

"Well, since the subject is broached, I don't mind giving you an account
of the most dangerous expedition that I ever undertook; but mum is the
word, for if that d----d Brown should get hold of me, I should have to
swing for it."

"O, mum it is," we all repeated; and none were louder than the inspector
in giving the promise.

"Well, the fact of it is," Jackson continued, "soon after I got here,
and began handling the 'pasteboards,' I made the acquaintance of a young
fellow who was at work mining with an uncle. I managed to clean him
pretty well out; and then he used to steal pretty smart sums from his
relative, until at last the old man missed his dust, and remonstrated
against such injustice.

"One day, after a hard quarrel, the nephew came to me, and proposed that
we should enter his uncle's tent, and take what gold he had left, and
divide it equally between us. I didn't like the idea, but my friend was
so sanguine that a few thousand pounds could be made without much of an
effort, that I at last consented."

"I 'spose you mean that affair of Critchet's," the inspector said. "I
could have told you that nothing was to be got in that quarter."

"How--you know of that attempt at mur--"

He did not finish the sentence, for the word seemed to choke him.

"Know of it?" repented the inspector; "of course I did. Don't I belong to
a gang that hears of all such things? What would an organization be
worth unless the news was reported?"

"But you didn't know that I was connected with the matter, did you?"

"Never you mind me--when you belong to the association you will know as
much as I do. I'll give you the credit of saying that the job you
undertook was well conducted, and only failed through the old fellow's
shrewdness. Now drive on, and don't be bashful."

"We agreed upon a night," Jackson continued, "and about one o'clock we
crept into old Critchet's tent, and began digging where we supposed the
dust was buried, but to our disappointment found it was gone.

"My companion was so enraged that he uttered an exclamation loud enough
to awaken his uncle, and he sprang from his bed and shouted for help. We
feared that his cries would bring assistance, when we knew that our
errand would be suspected, and that our arrest would be certain. We
seemed animated by a kindred feeling, and both of our knives struck the
old fellow at the same moment. He gave a groan, and fell to the ground,
and then, fearing