"Very dangerous man," he said, shaking his head, "if he hears of one of the hill-miners finding good ruby, that man sure to lose it, perhaps lose his head same time. U Saw has many Kachins who follow him, and every Kachin carry strong, sharp _dah_ (native sword)." "Have the police been on to him, Moung San?" asked Buck. "The police!" Moung San laughed disdainfully. "What do the police know about the hills and the jungle, and what goes on there? But we know. The word goes from Kachin to Shan, and from Shan to Burman, over the country, up and down the river. We know." "Where does U Saw sell his rubies?" asked Dent. "In China," replied the Burman. "Takes them along the great road to China from Burmah over the mountains. Sells them there for big, big money. Very rich and very strong is U Saw." Then, with scarcely a pause, Moung San came out with a piece of news that made his hearers jump. "When I am at Prome two weeks ago, the 'fire-boat' of U Saw pass me, and go up the river." "Fire-boat!" cried Jim Dent. "U Saw possesses a steamer. How big, Moung San?" Moung San went into details. He compared the "fire-boat" with the size of his _hnau_, he compared it with a river-steamer which now went puffing past, he described it with the greatest minuteness, for he had lain beside it at Bhamo for three days on the trip before last. "Say," murmured Buck, looking round on his deeply-interested companions, "this beats the band. I didn't know U Saw had a steam yacht of about three hundred tons, for that's what Moung San's talk comes to. Say, Jim, my son, this clears things up a bit." "It does that," said Dent. He turned to Jack. "You see, sir," he remarked, "that Buck's guess hit the mark pretty straight. I'd stake my shop that the party we want was on that yacht." Jack nodded, with bright eyes. "It must be so," he said, but Buck was again in conversation with the Burman. "Do you know where the 'fire-boat' had been?" he asked. "There was a word that U Saw had been a long cruise in the islands," replied Moung San. "Been a long cruise in the islands, had he?" said Dent, in a meaning tone. There was silence while the three white men made swift calculations mentally. "If the yacht is a good sea-boat," said Jack, "they would just about have had the right time to do it, supposing they came up the river two weeks back." He meant the voyage from the Mediterranean, and the others nodded. The old Burman looked from one to the other gravely. There was something he did not understand behind this, and it was plain that he was about to shape a question. Buck whispered swiftly to Jack, then spoke: "Well, Moung San, we must be going. But the son of your old patron wished to see you and to give you a little present because you have served his father." Jack smiled and passed over twenty rupees. Moung San's mouth was at once filled with thanks instead of questions, and an awkward moment passed safely.