They were a rum crowd, and Tonga
and I soon managed to settle down among them. They had one very
good quality: they let you alone and asked no questions.
"Well, if I were to tell you all the adventures that my little
chum and I went through, you would not thank me, for I would have
you here until the sun was shining. Here and there we drifted
about the world, something always turning up to keep us from
London. All the time, however, I never lost sight of my purpose.
I would dream of Sholto at night. A hundred times I have killed
him in my sleep. At last, however, some three or four years ago,
we found ourselves in England. I had no great difficulty in
finding where Sholto lived, and I set to work to discover whether
he had realized the treasure, or if he still had it. I made
friends with someone who could help me,--I name no names, for I
don't want to get any one else in a hole,--and I soon found that
he still had the jewels. Then I tried to get at him in many
ways; but he was pretty sly, and had always two prize-fighters,
besides his sons and his khitmutgar, on guard over him.
"One day, however, I got word that he was dying. I hurried at
once to the garden, mad that he should slip out of my clutches
like that, and, looking through the window, I saw him lying in
his bed, with his sons on each side of him.
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