Pounds Sterling                  Pounds Sterling
Debts incurred previous to             | Ezra, in Africa, holds
disclosure to Ezra             34000   | this money with which
15000 pounds raised at six             | to speculate.             35000
months, and 20000 pounds               | Balance in bank,
at nine months                 35000   | including what remains
Interest on said money at              | of Dimsdale’s premium.     8400
5 per cent.                     1125   | Profit on the cargo of
Working expenses of the                | Maid of Athens, now
firm during the next six               | in port.                   2000
months, including cost of              | Profit on the cargoes
ships, at 150 pounds per               | of Black Eagle,_Swan_
week                            3900   | and Panther, calculated
Private expenses at                    | at the same rate.          6000
Ecclestone Square, say          1000   | Deficit                   26425
Expenses of Langworthy                 |
in Russia, and of my dear              |
son in Africa, say               600   |
Insurances                      1200   |
Total                          76825   | Total                     76825
|
All this money must be found within    |The possibility of the sinking
nine months at the outside.            |of a ship must not be
|overlooked--that would bring in
|from 12000 to 20000 pounds.

“Come, it’s not so very bad after all,” the merchant muttered, after he had gone over these figures very slowly and carefully.  He leaned back in his chair and looked up at the ceiling with a much more cheerful expression upon his face.  “At the worst it is less than thirty thousand pounds.  Why, many firms would think little of it.  The fact is, that I have so long been accustomed to big balances on the right side that it seems to be a very dreadful thing now that it lies the other way.  A dozen things may happen to set all right.  I must not forget, however,” he continued, with a darker look, “that I have dipped into my credit so freely that I could not borrow any more without exciting suspicion and having the whole swarm down on us.  After all, our hopes lie in the diamonds.  Ezra cannot fail.  He must succeed.  Who can prevent him?”

“Major Tobias Clutterbuck,” cried the sharp, creaky voice of Gilray as if in answer to the question, and the little clerk, who had knocked once or twice unnoticed, opened the door and ushered in the old Campaigner.

[1] It may be well to remark, that this and succeeding incidents occurred in the old Crown Colony days, before the diamond legislation was as strict as it has since become.

CHAPTER XVIII.

MAJOR TOBIAS CLUTTERBUCK COMES IN FOR A THOUSAND POUNDS.