“Right you are, Nick.”

“And a monstrous cat it is!”

“Never a larger one,” declared Chick, with a laugh.  “By Jove!  Nick, if Kilgore has really found a way to produce such perfect counterfeit diamonds, his gang could work the greatest swindle ever known, unless headed off.”

“That is their game, all right,” said Nick.  “From the very first I have suspected something extraordinary.  They are not the stamp of criminals to dicker with petty jobs.”

“I should say not.”

“Far from it.”

“One thing is plain.”

“Namely?”

“Where Cervera gets her diamonds, and of what they consist.”

“True.  She certainly is one of the gang.”

“With such counterfeits as those worked upon Pylotte, and one big jewelry concern to help market the goods, they could clean up millions in a very short time.”

“No doubt of it.  And they have their jewelry concern, all right.”

“Venner & Co.?”

“Surely.”

“We must get absolute proof of it.”

“That’s just what I intend doing, now that we have the game uncovered,” said Nick, grimly.

“And then proceed to locate the plant where the goods are made, eh?”

“Precisely.”

“What are your plans?”

“We’ll first get a line on Venner, and see to what it leads,” replied Nick.  “There now is a way by which we can call the turn on him, and get proof of his co-operation with Kilgore and his gang.”

“By getting him to sell us some diamonds?”

“Exactly.”

“And then proving them to be artificial?”

“That’s the idea.”

“Can you get at him in a way to trap him?”

“What do you mean?”

“He may fight shy of us,” suggested Chick, “in case he knows of Pylotte’s scrap with the gang last night.  He may fear that Pylotte has discovered the fraud, and reported it to the police.”

“There’s not much danger of that,” replied Nick.  “So stupendous a fraud would at once be given publicity through the press.”

“That’s true.”

“In either case,” added Nick, abruptly, “there’s a way by which we can fool him.  I’ll explain it on the way.  Get your make-up box and prepare to go with me.  Since we have the game uncovered, we’ll lose no time in rounding up these accomplished rascals.”

“Good enough!” exclaimed Chick, as he hurriedly arose.  “The sooner the better.”

“We may have ragged work before the job is completed,” added Nick.  “So provide yourself with a brace of guns.  I’ll be ready when you are.”

“Where first?”

“To the house of Pandu Singe, the snake charmer.”

CHAPTER XVIII.

At cross-purposes.

It was not quite noon when Nick Carter and Chick arrived at the house of the Hindoo snake charmer.

They found Pandu Singe at home with his interpreter, and the two detectives were very cordially received.