tavern brawlers respect you sufficiently to keep a lady's secret if you
order them. I will hope they have manhood enough to hold their
tongues!"

Of course, dressed in the best that Zanzibar stores had to offer we
scarcely looked like fashion plates. My shirt was torn where Coutlass
had seized it to resist being thrown out, but I failed to see what she
hoped to gain by that tongue lashing, even supposing we had been the
lackeys she pretended to believe we were.

"The message is to my brother," she went on.

"I don't know him!" put in Monty promptly.

"You mean you don't like him! Your brother had him expelled from two
or three clubs, and you prefer not to meet him! Nevertheless, I give
you this message to take to him! Please tell him--you will find him at
his old address--that I, his sister, Lady Saffren Waldon, know now the
secret of Tippoo Tib's ivory. He is to join me here at once, and we
will get it, and sell it, and have money, and revenge! Will you tell
him that!"

"No!" answered Monty.

I looked at Yerkes, Yerkes looked at Fred, and Fred at me.

There was nothing to do but feel astonished.

"Why not, if you please?"