Sir Frank was somewhat dull at dinner on that evening, and scarcely responded to the joking remarks of his brother officers.  These jocularly put his preoccupation down to love, for it was an open secret that the baronet admired the fair Peruvian, although no one as yet knew that Random was legally engaged with Don Pedro’s consent.  The young man good-humoredly stood all the chaff hurled at him, but seized the opportunity to slip away to his quarters as soon as coffee came on the table and the smoking began.  It was nine o’clock before he returned to his room, and here he found Hope waiting for him impatiently.

“I see you have been dining at the Pyramids,” said Random, seeing that Hope was in evening dress.

Archie nodded.

“Yes.  I don’t put on this kit to have my humble chop at my lodgings.  But the Professor asked me to dinner to talk over matters.”

“What does he say?” asked Random, looking for the cigarette box.

“Oh, he is very angry with Mrs. Jasher, and considers that she has swindled him.  He called to see her this afternoon, and—­so he says—­had a stormy interview with her.”

“I don’t wonder at that, if he speaks as he generally does,” said the other grimly, and pushing along the cigarettes, “There you are!  The whisky and soda are on yonder table.  Make yourself comfortable, and tell me what the Professor intends to do.”

“Well,” said Archie, turning half round from the side table where he was pouring out the whisky, “he had already started action, by sending Cockatoo to live at the Sailor’s Rest and spy on Hervey.”

“What rubbish!  Hervey is, going away to-morrow in The Firefly, bound for Algiers.  Nothing is to be learned from him.”

“So I told the Professor,” said Hope, returning to the armchair near the fire, “and I mentioned that Don Pedro had induced the skipper to write out a full account of the theft of the mummy from Lima thirty years ago.  I also said that the signed paper would be handed in at the Gartley jetty when The Firefly came down stream to-morrow night.”

“Humph!  And what did Braddock say to that?”

“Nothing much.  He merely stated that whatever Hervey said toward proving the ownership of your future father-in-law, that he intended to stick to the embalmed corpse of Inca Caxas, and also that he intended to claim the emeralds when they turned up.”

Random rose and went to the drawer of his desk.

“I am afraid he has lost one emerald, at all events,” he said, unlocking the drawer.

“What’s that?” said Hope sharply.  “Why did you—­oh, gosh!” He jumped up with an amazed look as Random held up the magnificent gem, from which streamed vividly green flames in the mellow lamplight.  “Oh, gosh!” gasped the artist again.  “Where the devil did you get that?”

“I sent for you to tell you,” said Sir Frank, giving the jewel into his friend’s hand and coming back to his seat.  “It was found in the sentry box.”