"Aye, that they did," said Armour, forgetting all caution in his desire to tell his woes. "I was sitting there with a pipe, quiet-like and they came up,--I can't say how many,--with a dash. One thumped me in the head, and threw a shawl over me, and--" "Have you the shawl?" asked Kind. "Here it be." Armour fished under the sofa and drew forth a yellow shawl striped glaringly with scarlet. While Kind examined this, he went on with his story. "They carried I away, where, I nivir knowed, being half insensible-like. When I come to my senses quite I was lying in a muddy ditch, with the shawl still over my head, and bound hand and foot like a parcel of goods. Hours and hours passed and then the porter come and got me free. And I ask you," cried the policeman, "if there was anything in that, as showed I hadn't done my dooty?" "No," said Browne, to whom the policeman appealed, for Kind was turning over every inch of the shawl. "You were the victim of circumstances. See here, you needn't say that you have told us anything, as I want to assist my friend secretly. Hold your tongue, and I'll give you twenty pounds. "Well, sir," Armour scratched his head, "seems to me, as I may be chucked the Force, if my superior officer, Inspector Trent, don't cool down. So be it as you'll ask me nothing which will be against my dooty----" Kind rose, threw down the shawl and interrupted. His eyes sparkled and Browne was sure that he had made a discovery. "We ask you nothing more," he said, putting on his hat, "but whether you leave the Force or not, you'll get the money. And more, you will be doing a kind thing in helping Dr. Browne to clear his friend's character." "But my superior officer ses as this Herries is guilty." "Your superior officer is several kinds of ass." "That he be," assented Armour vigorously, "he swore as I'd not kept my eyes open. And I ask you, what more could a man do, as was rushed by sailors?" "You are sure they were sailors." "Well, one of 'em wore a pea-jacket with brass buttons, as I've seen sailors wear." "Were they foreigners?" asked Browne quickly. "They might ha' bin, but I nivir had no time to see their faces, and they nivir did talk to me nohow." "That's all; good-night," said Sweetlips, walking to the door. "And you'll bear in mind the twenty pounds," said Armour, letting them out into the tidy garden. "Yes, yes, come some day to Tarhaven. Any one will tell you where Dr. James Browne lives. I'll give you the money; only hold your confounded tongue." "Nivir fear, nivir fear," said Armour, and shut the door with a chuckle. They left quite a different man behind to the grumbling, suspicious creature they had found nursing his wounds on the horse-hair sofa. "Well?" asked Browne, when he and Kind were well on their way to the caravan. "What have you found?" "Do you remember that name 'Tarabacca,' which the lawyer spied on the envelope directed by Sir Simon in the office." "Yes. What of that?" "It's on the shawl."