Then to Quin:
"Ask Lorns to step here."
Quin went questing after Lorns; shortly Lorns and Quin came back
together. The chief turned in a brisk, sharp, official way to Lorns:
"Did you inspect this trunk?"
"I did," said Lorns, looking at the chalk marks as if to make sure.
"Open it!"
No keys were procurable; the owners, Lorns said, had long since left
the docks. But Lorns suggested that he get hammer and cold chisel from
the ship.
The trunk was opened and found free and innocent of aught contraband.
The chief wore a puzzled, dark look; he felt that he'd been cheated,
but he couldn't say how. Therefore being wise, the chief gulped, said
nothing, and as life is short and he had many things to do, soon
after left the docks and went his way.
"That was a squeak!" said Lorns when we were at last free of the
dangerous chief. "Quin, I thank you."
"That's all right," retorted Quin, with a grin; "do as much for me
some time."
That night, with the aid of a river rat, our trunk, jettisoned by the
excellent Quin, was fished up; and being tight as a drum, its contents
had come to little harm with their sudden baptism. At last, our dozen
silk trunks--holding a treasure of thirty thousand dollars and whereon
we looked to clear a heavy profit--were safe in the Reade Street loft;
and my hasty heart, which had been beating at double speed since that
almost fatal interference, slowed to normal count.
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