“There! Consarn it all!” grumbled the captain. “Now the fat’s in the fire for fair. He’s off to see the rest of the bunch and tell ‘em about the diamond. It’s all off now.”
“Do you think he will do that?” asked Mr. Chadwick.
“I do. Don’t you?” asked the skipper with some surprise.
“No, I don’t.”
“Why not?”
“For one reason, it wouldn’t be human nature. That fellow, if he covets the stone at all, will want it for himself. If he makes public what he knows, the stone will go to the chief. He has every reason for saying nothing.”
“Humph! I dunno but what that’s so. I reckon Injuns ain’t a heap different from other folks when it comes down to diamonds.”
“Especially in this case. I imagine from the fact that these stones were found in the canoe with the idol that they have some special significance. The thieves who took the idol must have found the stones not far from it, for it is not reasonable to suppose that having attempted such a daring feat they would waste much time in hunting for other booty.”
“Wa’al, that does sound reasonable,” admitted the captain. “I wish that chap would come back. I’d like to ‘parlez-vous’ a bit with him, or rather ‘habla Espanol,’ although it does puzzle a Christian to make out whether he’s talking Spanish or Chinee.”
Darkness came on and there was no sign of the reappearance of the interpreter. But nobody else had disturbed them, which appeared to confirm Mr. Chadwick’s theory that the man would keep his discovery to himself. It was probably some four hours after darkness had fallen that a whisper was borne to them from above.