Butsey whistled between his teeth. "You can't frighten me," said he, his one eye twinkling savagely; "but I'll tell you everything, 'cept who shot the bloke."
"Huh," said Horace. "I guess we can ravel out that, when we know what you have to say. But you speak straight, young man, or I'll hide you proper."
"Lor," said Butsey coolly, "I've bin hided by father and old Don much wuss than you can hammer. But I'll tell--jest you three keep your ears open. Where 'ull I begin?"
"From the beginning," said Allen; "how did the gang come to know that Strode had the diamonds?"
"It wos father told 'em," said Butsey candidly. "Father's Red Jerry, an' a onener at that--my eye! He got into trouble here, and cuts to furrein parts some years ago. In Africay he saw the dead bloke."
"Strode?"
"Well, ain't I a-saiyin' of him?" snapped Butsey; "yuss--Strode. Father comes 'ome in the saime ship es Strode and knows all about 'im having prigged diamonds in Africay."
"What do you mean by prigged?"
"Wot I saiy, in course. Strode got them diamonds wrong----"
"I. D. B.," said Parkins. "I told you so, Hill."