They came back full of a story they had heard, how the "skipper" had met with a mishap on the big point to s'uth'ard, was rescued by three fishermen, and had bought for each man the freehold of the house in which he lived, besides presenting them jointly with a fine smack. "He's a rare good sort, there's no doubt about that," said the chief narrator, "an', of course, 'e can afford to do that sort of thing, bein' the King o' Diamonds." "He's more than the King of Diamonds; he's the King of Trumps," observed a gigantic, broken-nosed stoker, who listened to the yarn, not being one of the shore-going men. "You've known him this long time, haven't you, Mason?" said the first speaker. "Yes--ever since he was a bit of a boy. Ten years it must be. But we lost sight of each other--until I met him the other day. Then he gave me a job--for the sake of old times!" THE END. End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The King of Diamonds, by Louis Tracy