“Probably,” began their host, “you’ve regarded me as a wealthy man, and, until the last two or three days, as one of leisure. I am reasonably well-to-do in this world’s goods, but most of my life, since I was twenty, has been passed in storm and stress.
“It is not necessary to tell you all about the life that I have led. It will be enough to tell you that, three years ago, not satisfied that my fortune was large enough, I went to Brazil in order to learn what chance there might be of picking up money fast in that country.
“In Brazil there are many ways of making a fortune, though perhaps not as many as right here at home. However, there are fewer fortune-seekers there. In coffee, rubber and in many other staples fortunes may be made in Brazil, but the biggest, wildest, most desperate and scrambling gamble of all is found in the diamond-digging fields.
“Most of the diamond fields have, perhaps, been discovered, and their working has become 94 systematized to a regular, dividend-paying basis. There are still, however, some fields not yet located. It was a small field, but one which I believe may be worth millions, that I located somewhat more than a year ago. See here!”
From an inner pocket Powell Seaton drew forth an ordinary wallet. Opening it, he dropped out on the table six diamonds. Though none was of great size, all of the stones were of such purity and such flashing brilliancy that the motor boat boys gazed at them in fascination.
“They must be worth a fortune,” declared Hank Butts, in an awed, subdued tone.
“Not exactly,” smiled Mr. Seaton. “These stones have been appraised, I believe, at about twelve thousand dollars.”
After passing the gems from hand to hand, the owner of the bungalow replaced them in the wallet, returning the latter to the same pocket before he resumed:
“This new diamond field, a patent to which has not yet been filed with the Brazilian Government, is in the state of Vahia. There is no harm in telling anyone that, as Vahia is a state of great area. It is in a section little likely to be suspected as a diamond field, and the chance that someone else will accidentally discover and locate it is not large.” 95
“Yet you know the exact location—can go right to it?” breathed Tom Halstead, his eyes turned squarely on Mr. Seaton’s.