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The little man thus appealed to nodded his head. He agreed with all his companion said. "It's quite true," said he, after a pause. "Rubies, sapphires and gold, enough to make us all millionaires times over." "Bravo for Sengkor-Wat, then!" said Hayle. "But how do you know all this?" "I've told you already that Coddy found it out," Kitwater replied.
He only looked at her with hostile eyes. 'Speak! she said, putting her face devilishly near his. 'What? he said, almost overcome. 'You've got to choose! she cried, as if it were some terrible menace, and as if it hurt her that she could not exact more. 'What? he said, in fear. 'Choose your girl, Coddy. You've got to choose her now.
'Open the door, somebody, said Laura. 'Annie's got the key, said one. Annie silently offered the key to the girls. Nora unlocked the door. 'Tit for tat, old man, she said. 'Show yourself a man, and don't bear a grudge. But without a word or sign he had opened the door and gone, his face closed, his head dropped. 'That'll learn him, said Laura. 'Coddy! said Nora.
He would have to be very careful not to offend Crass in any way. He was afraid the latter did not like him very much as it was. Easton knew that Crass could get him the sack at any time, and would not scruple to do so if he wanted to make room for some crony of his own. Crass was the 'coddy' or foreman of the job.
You take the right-hand side," he went on addressing Hayle; "you, Coddy, must take the left. I'll try the middle. If we don't hit it to-day we'll do so to-morrow, or the next day, or the day after that. This is the place we were told about, and if the treasure is to be found anywhere, it will be here. For that reason we've got to set about the search as soon as possible! Now to work!"
When he arrived at the bottom and the others noticed how white and trembling he was, he told them about the pinnacle being loose, and the 'coddy' coming along just then, they told him about it, and suggested that it should be repaired, as otherwise it might fall down and hurt someone: but the 'coddy' was afraid that if they reported it they might be blamed for breaking it, and the owner might expect the firm to put it right for nothing, so they decided to say nothing about it.
On some jobs, if the 'coddy' happened to be a decent sort, they posted a sentry to look out for Hunter or Rushton while the others knocked off for a few minutes to snatch a mouthful of grub; but it was not safe always to do this, for there was often some crawling sneak with an ambition to become a 'coddy' who would not scruple to curry favour with Misery by reporting the crime.
As the 'coddy' was a sensible man he took the beer and advised them to pull themselves together and try to get some work done before Misery came, which they promised to do. When the 'coddy' was gone they made another attempt at the work. Misery came a little while afterwards and began shouting at them because he said he could not see what they had done.
"I could, but I'm not going to," replied his companion calmly. "The story would take too long to tell, and I'm tired. Besides, you would want to ask questions of Coddy, and that would upset the little man's equilibrium. No! Go to bed and have a good night's rest, and we'll talk it over in the morning. I wonder what my curtains are like?
Then Coddy began to look around, to hunt up some of his fusty records, and after awhile he began to think that there might be something in the story after all. You see it's this way: you know Sengkor-Wat?" "Sengkor how much?" "Sengkor-Wat the old ruin at the back of Burmah; near the Chinese Border. Such a place as you never dreamt of.
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