CHAPTER THREE.
RATHER SUSPICIOUS.
What followed was performed with the quick dexterity of a cleversurgeon, the searcher bending down, grasping the great firm muscles ofthe Kaffir's right leg about mid-way between hip and knee, and pressinghard with his two thumbs, when to the surprise of West a smallperpendicular slit opened and a good-sized diamond was forced out, tofall upon the ground and be received by the under-searcher, while thewound closed up again with all the elasticity of a cut made in a pieceof indiarubber.
"Bravo!" cried West, and then he held his breath as he saw the clevermanipulation performed upon the Kaffir's other leg, a second diamondbeing forced out of the man's elastic muscle, to be secured in turn.
"That will do," said the chief searcher, after a quick glance down theKaffir's arms, the man scowling and looking depressed as he was marchedaway.
"Almost a pity you didn't back your opinion heavily, Mr Anson, eh?"added the official.
"Well, I am deceived," said Anson, wrinkling up his forehead. "Who'dever have thought of that?"
"The Kaffirs, seemingly," said Ingleborough coolly? and he smiled inAnson's disconsolate face.
"But it's wicked," cried Anson, "downright wicked for a man to cuthimself like that for the sake of a bit of glittering glass. I say,mustn't it hurt very much?"
"Can't say," said West merrily. "Try!"
"What, me?" cried Anson, looking startled and involuntarily thrustinghis hands down to touch the parts in question. "Oh no! It's horriblewhat people will do for the sake of gain."
"Quite sure you wouldn't like to try, Mr Anson?" said the searcher."I'll do it for you if you like. Only wants a very sharp knife and agood hard pinch to numb the muscle; then it's done in a few minutes--onegood cut, the stone pressed in, and the cold surface makes the skincontract."
Anson's face seemed to curdle up, and two creases formed, one round eachcorner of his mouth, as if putting it between parentheses, as he shookhis head.
"Look here," he said, "what's the good of bantering so? Are you goingto search any more men?"
"No," said the official; "that's the lot."
"But are you going to punish them?"
"Oh yes! They'll have to take their dose for it, sir; you may be sureof that. We're going to be more and more severe over thisillicit-diamond-dealing."
"Are you?" said Anson innocently.
"We just are. It'll be a shooting matter soon if it can't be stoppedotherwise."
"How horrid!" said Anson. "But I say, these men don't deal illicitly,do they?"
"They wouldn't if a set of scoundrels did not set them on to steal, sothat they could buy of the poor ignorant savages, giving them shillingsfor what they sell for pounds."
"How sad it seems!" said Anson thoughtfully.
"And how innocent you seem!" said West, laughing.
"Yes, it's charming," cried Ingleborough. "Why, you know all about it."
"I?" cried Anson. "Oh, of course I know something about it. I've heardof the illicit-diamond-dealing, and read about it; but it has all gonein at one ear and out at the other. You see, I devote so much time tomusic. That and my work at the office keep me from taking much noticeof other things. Politics, for instance, and the rumours of war. Doyou think it at all likely that there will be any fighting, West?"
"I can't say," was the reply; "but we're going to be perfectly ready forthe Boers in case there is, and it's quite time we were off,Ingleborough, if we intend to answer at the roll-call."
"Hah! Yes," cried the young man addressed. "Better come with us,Anson."
The latter shook his head, and his companions separated from him at thegate.
"Better come," said Ingleborough again. "Join, and then you'll be onthe spot if we do form a band."
"Oh no!" said Anson, smiling. "You make up your minds at headquartersto form a band, and then, if you like, I'll come and train it."
"He's a rum fellow," said West, as the two young men fell into step.
"Ah," said Ingleborough roughly, "I am afraid Master Anson's more R.than F."
"More R. than F?" said West questioningly.
"If you must have it in plain English, more rogue than fool."
"Well, I fancy he isn't quite so simple as he pretends to be."
"Bah! I'm not a quarrelsome fellow, but I always feel as if I must kickhim. He aggravates me."
"Nice soft sort of a fellow to kick," said West, laughing.
"Ugh!" ejaculated Ingleborough, and his foot flew out suddenly as ifaimed at the person of whom they spoke. "Don't know anything aboutdiamonds! What things people will do for the sake of a bit ofglittering glass! Look here, West, for all his talk I wouldn't trusthim with a consignment of stones any farther than I could see him."
"Don't be prejudiced!" said West. "You don't like him, and so you canonly see his bad side."
"And that's all round," replied Ingleborough laughing. "No; I don'tlike him. I never do like a fellow who is an unnatural sort of a prig.He can't help being fat and pink and smooth, but he can help hissmiling, sneaky manner. I do like a fellow to be manly. Hang him! Puthim in petticoats, with long hair and a bonnet, he'd look likesomebody's cook. But if I had an establishment and he was mine, Ishould be afraid he'd put something unpleasant into my soup."
"Never mind about old Anson," said West merrily, "but look here. Whatabout that illicit-diamond-buying? Do you think that there's much of ittaking place?"
"Much?" cried his companion. "It is tremendous. The company's losinghundreds of thousands of pounds yearly."
"Nonsense!"
"It's a fact," said Ingleborough earnestly; "and no end of people arehard at work buying stolen diamonds, in spite of the constant sharplook-out kept by the police."
"But I should have thought that the licences and the strict supervisionwould have checked the greater part of it."
"Then you'd have thought wrong, my boy. I wish it did, for as we aregoing on now it makes everyone suspicious and on the look-out. Ideclare that for months past I never meet any of our people withoutfancying they suspect me of buying and selling diamonds on the sly."
"And that makes you suspicious too," said West quietly.
Ingleborough turned upon him sharply, and looked him through andthrough.
"What made you say that?" he said at last.
"Previous conversation," replied West.
"Humph! Well, perhaps so."