"So you're the smuggler I was sent after?"
That really amused him. "Er—yes. Those tricksters, Perona and Spawn—we were what you would call partners. He had—the perfumed Perona—what he thought was a clever scheme for us. I was to take all the risk, and he and Spawn get most of the money. Chah! They thought I was imbecile—pretending to attack a treasure and being such a fool that I would not seize it for myself! Not De Boer!" He chuckled. "Well, so very little did they know me. No treasure yet touched De Boer's fingers without lingering!"
e was in a talkative mood, and drew up his chair and slouched in it. I saw that he had been drinking some alcholite beverage, not enough to befuddle him, but enough to take the keen edge off his wits, and make him want to talk.
"Sit down, Grant."
"I'll stand."
"As you like."
"What are you going to do with me?" I demanded again. "Try to ransom me for a fat price from the United States?"
He smiled sourly. "You need not be sarcastic, young lad. The better for you if I get a ransom."