The Green Mummy - Page 158/191

"Well," said Archie, turning half round from the side table where he

was pouring out the whisky, "he had already started action, by sending

Cockatoo to live at the Sailor's Rest and spy on Hervey."

"What rubbish! Hervey is, going away to-morrow in The Firefly, bound for

Algiers. Nothing is to be learned from him."

"So I told the Professor," said Hope, returning to the armchair near the

fire, "and I mentioned that Don Pedro had induced the skipper to write

out a full account of the theft of the mummy from Lima thirty years

ago. I also said that the signed paper would be handed in at the Gartley

jetty when The Firefly came down stream to-morrow night."

"Humph! And what did Braddock say to that?"

"Nothing much. He merely stated that whatever Hervey said toward proving

the ownership of your future father-in-law, that he intended to stick

to the embalmed corpse of Inca Caxas, and also that he intended to claim

the emeralds when they turned up."

Random rose and went to the drawer of his desk.

"I am afraid he has lost one emerald, at all events," he said, unlocking

the drawer.

"What's that?" said Hope sharply. "Why did you--oh, gosh!" He jumped up

with an amazed look as Random held up the magnificent gem, from which

streamed vividly green flames in the mellow lamplight. "Oh, gosh!"

gasped the artist again. "Where the devil did you get that?"

"I sent for you to tell you," said Sir Frank, giving the jewel into his

friend's hand and coming back to his seat. "It was found in the sentry

box."

Hope stared at the great jewel and then at the soldier.

"What do you mean by that?" he demanded. "How the dickens could it be

found in a sentry box? You must be making a mistake."

"Not a bit of it. It was found on the floor of the box by the sentry, as

I tell you, and I have sent to consult with you as to how the deuce it

got there."

"Hervey," muttered Archie, fascinated by the gem.

Random shrugged his square shoulders.

"Catch that Yankee Shylock returning anything he got his grip on, even

as a wedding present."

"A wedding present," said Hope, more at sea than ever. "If you don't

mind giving me details, old chap, my head would buzz less."

"I rather think that it will buzz more," said Random dryly, and,

producing the brown paper in which the gem had been wrapped, and the

inscribed paper found within, he related all that had happened.

Archie listened quietly and did not interrupt, but the puzzled look on

his face grew more pronounced.

"Well," ended Random, seeing that no remark was made when he had

finished, "what do you think?"