‘Malūa! Malūa!’ (which is by interpretation ‘Go easy’). ‘I guess it can be done,’ he drawled softly to himself. ‘Anything to see? No--o. Stop, though,’--to the intelligent eye, as he drew himself together in his chair, the spring was very near now--‘I guess I’m wrong all the time, there _is_ something almighty curious to see, for those who have the sand.’ ‘What’s that?’ ‘We--ell, it mightn’t interest _you_, but it’s a place they call “La boîte du diable”--kind of a cavern in the side of a hill. Considerable few people have been to see it, and none stayed very long. Reckon _you_ won’t care about it.’ An indescribable sneer was in Mr Denver’s voice, and the Major, though far gone, was not _too_ far gone to seize upon it as an insult. ‘You mean, I wouldn’t dare,’ he said, huskily. ‘Confound you, sir, d’you think I’ve not got as much pluck as you?’ ‘Guess not,’ said Dick, drily. ‘D----n you, sir!’ said Massinger, furiously; ‘I’ll bet you that £200 I’ve just paid you, I go to that hole, whatever it is, and stay there as long or longer than you do.’ For answer, Mr Denver rose slowly. ‘Put it in writing,’ he said, and, producing pen and paper out of his pocket, he reached down the saloon ink-bottle, and pushed them over to Massinger. The latter, quite sobered, stared a minute at his nonchalant companion, then sat down, and without saying a word penned the following lines in a shaky hand: ‘“I bet Mr Dick Denver the sum of £200 that I visit with him a condemned hole called ‘La boîte du diable,’ and stay there as long or longer than he does.” ‘Will that do?’ ‘Play or pay,’ added Mr Denver, calmly. ‘“Play or pay.” ‘“Albert Massinger, October 9th, 188-”--he signed his name, and threw it across to Dick, who signed his own, and pocketed the document. ‘Guess I’ll call for you after dinner at your hotel,’ he said; ‘might be happier with pistols, it’s kind of a skeery place. Good-night,’ he nodded, and without another word, lounged up on to the silent deck, the suspicion of an unholy smile flickering on his impassive features. SCENE III