"Pity you didn't pocket the fragments. We could perhaps have discovered
from the photographer the identity of the original."

"Ah!" I sighed regretfully. "I never thought of that. I recollect the
name of the firm, however."

"I shall have to report to London the whole occurrence, as British
subjects are under suspicion," Hutcheson said. "We'll see whether
Scotland Yard knows anything about Hornby or Chater. Most probably they
do. Not long ago a description of men on board a yacht was circulated
from London as being a pair of well-known burglars who were cruising
about in a vessel crammed with booty which they dared not get rid of.
They are, however, not the same as our friends on the _Lola_, for both
men wanted were arrested in New Orleans about eight months ago, without
their yacht, for they confessed that they had deliberately sunk it on
one of the islands in the South Pacific."

"Then these fellows might be another pair of London burglars!" I
exclaimed eagerly, as the startling theory occurred to me.

"They might be. But, of course, we can't form any opinion until we hear
what Scotland Yard has to say. I'll write a full report in the morning
if you will give me minute descriptions of the men, as well as of the
captain, Mackintosh."

Next morning I handed over my charge of the Consulate to Frank, and then
assisted him to go through the papers in the safe which had been
examined by the thieves.