'He hid in the tank,' she said. 'It has a false bottom, and you get in
from below.'

The detective expressed incredulity in a long breath.

'Well, that fairly beats me,' he said. 'When did he fix the tank?'

'I do not know. I had no idea it was done until the night of the arrest
of Rogers.'

At this moment Casey and Keel entered.

'Stand by the man, Casey,' said the detective. 'Keel, follow me.'

Downy went straight to the tank and, creeping under it, struck a match
and examined the floor above on which it rested. Two of the boards had
been moved aside, and in the bottom of the tank there was an opening
about eighteen inches in diameter with a sheet of iron to cover it, in
such a way as to deceive any but the most careful seeker. The detective
ordered Keel to bring a candle, and when it was forth coming he drew
himself up into the tank and struck a light. An ejaculation of delight
broke from his lips, for there at his hand lay a skin bag covered with
red-and-white hair, and by its side shone a magnificent nugget shaped
like a man's boot. This the detective recognised as the nugget described
by Dick Haddon. There were also a pickle bottle containing much rough
gold, and two or three small parcels.

The compartment in which Downy sat was just high enough to allow of a man
sitting upright in it, and large enough to enable him to lie in a
crescent position with out discomfort. A pipe from the roof was connected