"You are right, Pugh, I wouldn't, though I believe there have been occasions on which you have had doubts upon the subject. By the way, Pugh, I believe that I am the oldest friend you have." "I--I don't know about that. There's--there's Brasher." "Brasher! Who's Brasher? You wouldn't compare my friendship to the friendship of such a man as Brasher? Think of the tastes we have in common, you and I. We're both collectors." "Ye-es, we're both collectors." "I make my interests yours, and you make your interests mine. Isn't that so, Pugh?" "Tress, what--what was in the box?" "I will be frank with you, Pugh. If there had been something in the box, would you have been willing to go halves with me in my discovery?" "Go halves! In your discovery, Tress! Give me what is mine!" "With pleasure, Pugh, if you will tell me what is yours." "If--if you don't give me what was in the box I'll--I'll send for the police." "Do! Then I shall be able to hand to them what was in the box in order that it may be restored to its proper owner." "Its proper owner! I'm its proper owner!" "Excuse me, but I don't understand how that can be; at least, until the police have made inquiries. I should say that the proper owner was the person from whom you purchased the box, or, more probably, the person from whom he purchased it, and by whom, doubtless, it was sold in ignorance, or by mistake. Thus, Pugh, if you will only send for the police, we shall earn the gratitude of a person of whom we never heard in our lives--I for discovering the contents of the box, and you for returning them." As I said this, Pugh's face was a study. He gasped for breath. He actually took out his handkerchief to wipe his brow. "Tress, I--I don't think you need to use a tone like that to me. It isn't friendly. What--what was in the box?" "Let us understand each other, Pugh. If you don't hand over what was in the box to the police, I go halves." Pugh began to dance about the floor. "What a fool I was to trust you with the box! I knew I couldn't trust you." I said nothing. I turned and rang the bell. "What's that for?" "That, my dear Pugh, is for breakfast, and, if you desire it, for the police. You know, although you have breakfasted, I haven't. Perhaps while I am breaking my fast, you would like to summon the representatives of law and order." Bob came in. I ordered breakfast. Then I turned to Pugh. "Is there anything you would like?" "No, I--I've breakfasted." "It wasn't of breakfast I was thinking. It was of--something else. Bob is at your service, if, for instance, you wish to send him on an errand." "No, I want nothing. Bob can go." Bob went. Directly he was gone, Pugh turned to me. "You shall have half. What was in the box?" "I shall have half?" "You shall!"