“No; although offers in abundance have been made by government agents and the leaders in the revolutionary movement.  We have too many thousand dollars at stake to trifle with public affairs, although if—­”

Fred paused while pouring out the coffee, and looked hard at Mr. Brown.

“Go on,” said that gentleman.  “Treat me as though I was a countryman and a brother.”

“If the people were about to enter upon a struggle for liberty and independence, I would not mind sacrificing all the property that I possess to help secure so desirable a blessing.  But the word liberty is never mentioned.  It is only a question of money, and therefore I shall stand aloof.”

“By the way, how has business been while we were absent?” I asked.

“Never better.  The sales have been large and the profits good.  We are out of many things, but Smith should be along this afternoon, and he will supply the deficiency.  Now tell me of your trip.  Of course you didn’t find the buried treasure, and you have returned a little poorer than when you went away.”

“That depends upon the estimation in which you hold this kind of coin,” I replied, emptying my pockets upon the table, and throwing down a good sized bag of gold dust.

Fred opened his eyes in astonishment.

“Do you mean to tell me that you have been successful?” he asked.

“As far as getting the gold is concerned we have; but if you ask us if we have had smooth sailing during our cruise, I shall tell you that it has been rough, and at times extremely tempestuous.  Especially did we find it so when the rascally bushrangers attempted to smoke us out, and also when we threw them off the trail by means of a first class ghost.”

“A ghost!” replied Fred, looking first at Mr. Brown and then at me, as though we were quizzing him.

“Yes, he was a first class ghost, and no mistake,” replied Mr. Brown, without moving a muscle of his face.

“Bah!” ejaculated Fred, with disdain.

“This is the very expression that we used when we were satisfied that the ghost was disposed to help us,” I replied.

“Will you explain yourselves, or must I resort to extremities?” Fred exclaimed.

“Well, put the money in the safe, and then we will light our pipes, and repeat the history of our journey.”

Fred hastened to comply, and while we were in the act of filling the store with tobacco smoke, we heard a commotion in front of our door, and the next instant the police commissioner entered without the formality of knocking.

“Excuse me, gentlemen,” he said, “for my early visit, but I have weighty matters on hand, and have no time to lose.”

We offered him a chair, but he declined the courtesy.  We saw that he was ill at ease in the presence of the ex-inspector, and we rather enjoyed it than otherwise.  As for Mr. Brown, he smoked his pipe with most admirable nonchalance, and appeared unconscious of the presence of his enemy.