“No. Go on!”
“Well, it’s like you said. That’s what they did. By God, they had it planned bang-up! There ain’t so much as a cottage within half a mile of this ford, and there’s a steepish drop down to it, and up t’other side, and woods either side of the lane. The coach was set on when it was pulling out of the stream. There was two guards shot dead afore they could aim their barkers. The driver, and another man with him, which was at the horses’ heads at the time, was found gagged and trussed up like cackling-cheats next morning. The coach had been broke open, and not a chest left inside of it.” He paused, and wiped the back of his hand across his brow.
“And you’re telling me it was Henry Stornaway and Coate which did it? Lord love me, I don’t know when I’ve been so flabbergasted! But—what do they want to leave ’em here for? There’s only one been opened, and there ain’t nothing gone from it, by the looks of it! I see it would queer anyone to know where to stack all these chests, but what I don’t see is why they’ve took none of the gelt away! Well! They say as it’s an ill wind as blows no one any good! Here, let’s see if there’s Yellow Goblins in all these bags!”
“They are not Yellow Goblins.”
Chirk looked sharply at him, struck by an odd note in his voice. “What? You’re not going to tell me they’re counterfeit? With that seal on the cases?”
“Not counterfeit, but not guineas. Take a look!”
Chirk stared down at the coins in John’s hand. He picked one up, to inspect it more closely, and said: “Danged if I ever see one of them before, but they’re gold all right and tight, and new-minted! What are they, Soldier?”
“Do you never read the newspapers? They are the new coins—the sovereigns which are to replace the guineas!”
“Are they?” Chirk turned the piece he was holding over, regarding it with interest. “They’re the first I’ve seen.” He added, with a grin: “Ah, well, I won’t quarrel over the odd shillings! Lord love us, there must be thirty or forty thousand pounds in these cases! And to think if it hadn’t been for Rose I wouldn’t have come along with you today! No more rank-riding! A snug farm—and never did I think to see the day!”
He thrust his hand into the chest as he spoke, and would have lifted out of it another of the bags had not the Captain caught his wrist, and held it. “Put that down! You’ll take none of this money, Chirk!”