“You can hardly call them mountains. They are reasonably high hills, and I estimate the distance to be from twenty-five to thirty miles. Our property is twelve miles up the river.” “A steamer drawing the depth of the Rajah could get up there you think?” “Oh, yes, and could lay alongside the rocks in front of the gold field without needing a wharf of any sort.” “If I took the yacht up another channel, would she be out of sight of any one stationed on our property?” “The delta is rather flat for a few miles back from the coast, but if you go upstream for fifteen miles or so, there are plenty of hills that would conceal even a line of battle-ship, but any one on your property could see her sailing up the stream while she was in low-lying country.” “That doesn’t matter. I intend to get there before our friends do, so there will be no trouble on that score.” “Don’t you intend to arm your yacht?” “Oh, yes; I shall have on board a few sporting rifles, some shotguns, and plenty of ammunition. Is there any game back in the mountains?” “I don’t know. How many riflemen do you propose to take with you?” “I was thinking of inviting some of my younger gamekeepers; perhaps half a dozen.” “But they can’t hold out against a hundred and fifty well-armed men, not to mention the sailors belonging to the _Rajah_.” “My dear fellow, why is your mind always running on fighting? This is no Treasure Island cruise, with stockades, and one-legged John Silver, and that sort of thing. We are not qualifying for literary immortality, not being filibusters, but merely staid, respectable city persons going to look over a property we have purchased. If we are discovered and attacked, we will valorously fly, and as, at a pinch, I can get twenty-five knots an hour out of the boat, I think with the current of the stream in my favor we can reach the sea in case these misguided persons become obstreperous. You forget that as a city man I am an investor, not a speculator.” “I don’t see how that course of action will save your gold from being stolen.” “Don’t you? Well, you’ll have an inkling by and by. Now, I wish you to go back to Southampton. You negotiated for the charter of the _Rajah_, I believe.” “Yes.” “Who are her owners?” “Messrs. Sparling & Bilge.” “Very well. I’ll give you a blank check and ask you to return to Southampton. Discover, if you can, what is the reasonable value of the _Rajah_, then go to Sparling & Bilge and purchase the steamer. See that everything is done legally, and arrange the transfer to me.” “Is there to be any limit in the price I am to pay, Lord Stranleigh?”