"It was all very bad, no doubt," said he. "I should like to know how many fellows in my shoes would have refused a share of this loot when they knew that they would have their throats cut for their pains. Besides, it was my life or his when once he was in the fort. If he had got out, the whole business would come to light, and I should have been court-martialled and shot as likely as not; for people were not very lenient at a time like that."
"Go on with your story," said Holmes, shortly.
"Well, we carried him in, Abdullah, Akbar, and I. A fine weight he was, too, for all that he was so short. Mahomet Singh was left to guard the door. We took him to a place which the Sikhs had already prepared. It was some distance off, where a winding age leads to a great empty hall, the brick walls of which were all crumbling to pieces. The earth floor had sunk in at one place, making a natural grave, so we left Achmet the merchant there, having first covered him over with loose bricks. This done, we all went back to the treasure.
"It lay where he had dropped it when he was first attacked. The box was the same which now lies open upon your table. A key was hung by a silken cord to that carved handle upon the top. We opened it, and the light of the lantern gleamed upon a collection of gems such as I have read of and thought about when I was a little lad at Pershore. It was blinding to look upon them. When we had feasted our eyes we took them all out and made a list of them.

There were one hundred and forty-three diamonds of the first water, including one which has been called, I believe, 'the Great Mogul' and is said to be the second largest stone in existence. Then there were ninety-seven very fine emeralds, and one hundred and seventy rubies, some of which, however, were small. There were forty carbuncles, two hundred and ten sapphires, sixty-one agates, and a great quantity of beryls, onyxes, cats'-eyes, turquoises, and other stones, the very names of which I did not know at the time, though I have become more familiar with them since. Besides this, there were nearly three hundred very fine pearls, twelve of which were set in a gold coronet. By the way, these last had been taken out of the chest and were not there when I recovered it.
"After we had counted our treasures we put them back into the chest and carried them to the gate-way to show them to Mahomet Singh. Then we solemnly renewed our oath to stand by each other and be true to our secret. We agreed to conceal our loot in a safe place until the country should be at peace again, and then to divide it equally among ourselves. There was no use dividing it at present, for if gems of such value were found upon us it would cause suspicion, and there was no privacy in the fort nor any place where we could keep them. We carried the box, therefore, into the same hall where we had buried the body, and there, under certain bricks in the best-preserved wall, we made a hollow and put our treasure. We made careful note of the place, and next day I drew four plans, one for each of us, and put the sign of the four of us at the bottom, for we had sworn that we should each always act for all, so that none might take advantage. That is an oath that I can put my hand to my heart and swear that I have never broken.
"Well, there's no use my telling you gentlemen what came of the Indian mutiny. After Wilson took Delhi and Sir Colin relieved Lucknow the back of the business was broken. Fresh troops came pouring in, and Nana Sahib made himself scarce over the frontier. A flying column under Colonel Greathed came round to Agra and cleared the Pandies away from it. Peace seemed to be settling upon the country, and we four were beginning to hope that the time was at hand when we might safely go off with our shares of the plunder. In a moment, however, our hopes were shattered by our being arrested as the murderers of Achmet.

"It came about in this way. When the rajah put his jewels into the hands of Achmet he did it because he knew that he was a trusty man. They are suspicious folk in the East, however: so what does this rajah do but take a second even more trusty servant and set him to play the spy upon the first? This second man was ordered never to let Achmet out of his sight, and he followed him like his shadow. He went after him that night and saw him through the doorway. Of course he thought he had taken refuge in the fort, and applied for ission there himself next day, but could find no trace of Achmet. This seemed to him so strange that he spoke about it to a sergeant of guides, who brought it to the ears of the commandant. A thorough search was quickly made, and the body was discovered. Thus at the very moment that we thought that all was safe we were all four seized and brought to trial on a charge of murder,—three of us because we had held the gate that night, and the fourth because he was known to have been in the company of the murdered man. Not a word about the jewels came out at the trial, for the rajah had been deposed and driven out of India: so no one had any particular interest in them. The murder, however, was clearly made out, and it was certain that we must all have been concerned in it. The three Sikhs got penal servitude for life, and I was condemned to death, though my sentence was afterwards commuted into the same as the others.

"It was rather a queer position that we found ourselves in then. There we were all four tied by the leg and with precious little chance of ever getting out again, while we each held a secret which might have put each of us in a palace if we could only have made use of it. It was enough to make a man eat his heart out to have to stand the kick and the cuff of every petty jack-in-office, to have rice to eat and water to drink, when that gorgeous fortune was ready for him outside, just waiting to be picked up. It might have driven me mad; but I was always a pretty stubborn one, so I just held on and bided my time.

"At last it seemed to me to have come. I was changed from Agra to Madras, and from there to Blair Island in the Andamans. There are very few white convicts at this settlement, and, as I had behaved well from the first, I soon found myself a sort of privileged person. I was given a hut in Hope Town, which is a small place on the slopes of Mount Harriet, and I was left pretty much to myself. It is a dreary, fever-stricken place, and all beyond our little clearings was infested with wild cannibal natives, who were ready enough to blow a poisoned dart at us if they saw a chance.

There was digging, and ditching, and yam-planting, and a dozen other things to be done, so we were busy enough all day; though in the evening we had a little time to ourselves. Among other things, I learned to dispense drugs for the surgeon, and picked up a smattering of his knowledge. All the time I was on the lookout for a chance of escape; but it is hundreds of miles from any other land, and there is little or no wind in those seas: so it was a terribly difficult job to get away.

"The surgeon, Dr. Somerton, was a fast, sporting young chap, and the other young officers would meet in his rooms of an evening and play cards. The surgery, where I used to make up my drugs, was next to his sitting-room, with a small window between us. Often, if I felt lonesome, I used to turn out the lamp in the surgery, and then, standing there, I could hear their talk and watch their play.

I am fond of a hand at cards myself, and it was almost as good as having one to watch the others. There was Major Sholto, Captain Morstan, and Lieutenant Bromley Brown, who were in command of the native troops, and there was the surgeon himself, and two or three prison-officials, crafty old hands who played a nice sly safe game. A very snug little party they used to make.

"Well, there was one thing which very soon struck me, and that was that the soldiers used always to lose and the civilians to win. Mind, I don't say that there was anything unfair, but so it was. These prison-chaps had done little else than play cards ever since they had been at the Andamans, and they knew each other's game to a point, while the others just played to the time and threw their cards down anyhow. Night after night the soldiers got up poorer men, and the poorer they got the more keen they were to play.

Major Sholto was the hardest hit. He used to pay in notes and gold at first, but soon it came to notes of hand and for big sums. He sometimes would win for a few deals, just to give him heart, and then the luck would set in against him worse than ever. All day he would wander about as black as thunder, and he took to drinking a deal more than was good for him.

"One night he lost even more heavily than usual. I was sitting in my hut when he and Captain Morstan came stumbling along on the way to their quarters. They were bosom friends, those two, and never far apart. The major was raving about his losses.
"'It's all up, Morstan,' he was saying, as they ed my hut. 'I shall have to send in my papers. I am a ruined man.'
"'Nonsense, old chap!' said the other, slapping him upon the shoulder. 'I've had a nasty facer myself, but—' That was all I could hear, but it was enough to set me thinking.
"A couple of days later Major Sholto was strolling on the beach: so I took the chance of speaking to him.
"'I wish to have your advice, major,' said I.
"'Well, Small, what is it?' he asked, taking his cheroot from his lips.
"'I wanted to ask you, sir,' said I, 'who is the proper person to whom hidden treasure should be handed over. I know where half a million worth lies, and, as I cannot use it myself, I thought perhaps the best thing that I could do would be to hand it over to the proper authorities, and then perhaps they would get my sentence shortened for me.'

"'Half a million, Small?' he gasped, looking hard at me to see if I was in earnest.
"'Quite that, sir,—in jewels and pearls. It lies there ready for any one. And the queer thing about it is that the real owner is outlawed and cannot hold property, so that it belongs to the first comer.'

"'To government, Small,' he stammered,—'to government.' But he said it in a halting fashion, and I knew in my heart that I had got him.
"'You think, then, sir, that I should give the information to the Governor-General?' said I, quietly.

"'Well, well, you must not do anything rash, or that you might repent. Let me hear all about it, Small. Give me the facts.'
"I told him the whole story, with small changes so that he could not identify the places. When I had finished he stood stock still and full of thought. I could see by the twitch of his lip that there was a struggle going on within him.

"'This is a very important matter, Small,' he said, at last. 'You must not say a word to any one about it, and I shall see you again soon.'
"Two nights later he and his friend Captain Morstan came to my hut in the dead of the night with a lantern.

"'I want you just to let Captain Morstan hear that story from your own lips, Small,' said he.

"I repeated it as I had told it before.
"'It rings true, eh?' said he. 'It's good enough to act upon?'
"Captain Morstan nodded.

"'Look here, Small,' said the major. 'We have been talking it over, my friend here and I, and we have come to the conclusion that this secret of yours is hardly a government matter, after all, but is a private concern of your own, which of course you have the power of disposing of as you think best. Now, the question is, what price would you ask for it? We might be inclined to take it up, and at least look into it, if we could agree as to .'

He tried to speak in a cool, careless way, but his eyes were shining with excitement and greed.

"'Why, as to that, gentlemen,' I answered, trying also to be cool, but feeling as excited as he did, 'there is only one bargain which a man in my position can make. I shall want you to help me to my freedom, and to help my three companions to theirs. We shall then take you into partnership, and give you a fifth share to divide between you.'

"'Hum!' said he. 'A fifth share! That is not very tempting.'
"'It would come to fifty thousand apiece,' said I.
"'But how can we gain your freedom? You know very well that you ask an impossibility.'
"'Nothing of the sort,' I answered. 'I have thought it all out to the last detail. The only bar to our escape is that we can get no boat fit for the voyage, and no provisions to last us for so long a time. There are plenty of little yachts and yawls at Calcutta or Madras which would serve our turn well. Do you bring one over. We shall engage to get aboard her by night, and if you will drop us on any part of the Indian coast you will have done your part of the bargain.'
"'If there were only one,' he said.
"'None or all,' I answered. 'We have sworn it. The four of us must always act together.'

"'You see, Morstan,' said he, 'Small is a man of his word. He does not flinch from his friend. I think we may very well trust him.'
"'It's a dirty business,' the other answered. 'Yet, as you say, the money would save our commissions handsomely.'
"'Well, Small,' said the major, 'we must, I suppose, try and meet you. We must first, of course, test the truth of your story. Tell me where the box is hid, and I shall get leave of absence and go back to India in the monthly relief-boat to inquire into the affair.'
"'Not so fast,' said I, growing colder as he got hot. 'I must have the consent of my three comrades. I tell you that it is four or none with us.'

"'Nonsense!' he broke in. 'What have three black fellows to do with our agreement?'

La extraa historia de Jonathan Small

Aquello estuvo muy mal, no cabe duda ––dijo––. Pero me gustara saber cuntos hombres, estando en mi situacin, habran rechazado una parte del botn, sabiendo que la alternativa era dejarse cortar el cuello. Adems, una vez que hubo entrado en el fuerte, era su vida o la ma. Si hubiera escapado, todo el asunto habra salido a la luz, y me habran juzgado en consejo de guerra y, seguramente, fusilado. En momentos como aquellos, la gente no suele ser muy indulgente.
––Contine su relato ––dijo Holmes, tajante.
––Bueno, pues entre Abdullah, Akbar y yo cargamos con l. Y vaya si pesaba, a pesar de lo bajo que era. Mahomet Singh se qued de guardia en la puerta. Lo llevamos a un lugar que los sikhs ya tenan preparado. Quedaba algo lejos, en un pasillo tortuoso que llevaba a una gran sala vaca, y cuyas paredes de ladrillo se estaban cayendo a pedazos. En un punto, el suelo de tierra se haba hundido, formando una tumba natural, y all dejamos a Achmet el mercader, despus de cubrir su cuerpo con ladrillos sueltos. Una vez hecho esto, fuimos todos por el tesoro.
Estaba donde Achmet lo haba dejado caer al sufrir el primer ataque. La caja era esa misma que tienen abierta sobre la mesa. Del asa tallada que tiene arriba colgaba una llave atada con un cordel de seda. La abrimos, y la luz de la linterna hizo brillar una coleccin de joyas como las que aparecan en los cuentos que me hacan soar de nio en Pershore. Se quedaba uno totalmente deslumbrado al mirarlas. Cuando nos saciamos de contemplarlas, las sacamos todas e hicimos una lista. Haba ciento cuarenta y tres diamantes de primera calidad, entre ellos uno que creo que llamaban El Gran Mogol y que dicen que es el segundo ms grande del mundo. Haba, adems, noventa y siete esmeraldas preciossimas y ciento setenta rubes, aunque algunos eran pequeos. Tambin haba cuarenta carbunclos, doscientos diez zafiros, sesenta y una gatas y gran cantidad de berilos, nices, ojos de gato, turquesas y otras piedras cuyos nombres yo no conoca entonces, aunque los aprend ms tarde. Adems de todo esto, haba aproximadamente trescientas perlas bellsimas, doce de ellas montadas en una diadema de oro. Por cierto, estas ltimas ya no estaban en el cofre cuando lo recuper; alguien las haba sacado. Despus de contar nuestros tesoros, los volvimos a meter en el cofre y los llevamos a la puerta para que los viera Mahomet Singh. Luego renovamos solemnemente nuestro juramento de apoyarnos unos a otros y guardar el secreto. Acordamos esconder el botn en un lugar seguro hasta que el pas volviera a estar en paz, y entonces dividirlo entre nosotros a partes iguales. No tena sentido repartirlo en aquel momento, porque si nos encontraban encima joyas de tanto valor se despertaran sospechas, y en el fuerte no haba intimidad ni exista lugar alguno donde poder guardarlas. As pues, llevamos la caja a la misma sala donde habamos enterrado el cadver y all, debajo de unos ladrillos de la pared mejor conservada, abrimos un hueco y metimos en l nuestro tesoro. Tomamos buena nota del lugar, y al da siguiente yo dibuj cuatro planos, uno para cada uno de nosotros, y al pie de cada plano puse el signo de nosotros cuatro, porque habamos jurado que cada uno defendera siempre los intereses de los dems, de manera que ninguno saliera ms favorecido. Y puedo asegurar, con la mano sobre el corazn, que jams he quebrantado aquel juramento.
Bueno, caballeros, no hace falta que les cuente como concluy la rebelin india. Cuando Wilson tom Delhi y Sir Colin liber Lucknow, se rompi la columna vertebral del asunto. Llegaron nuevas tropas a montones y Nana Sahib se esfum por la frontera. Una columna volante, mandada por el coronel Greathed, avanz sobre Agra y puso en fuga a los pandies. Pareca que se iba restableciendo la paz en el pas, y nosotros cuatro empezbamos a confiar en que se acercaba el momento de poder largarnos sin problemas con nuestra parte del botn. Pero nuestras esperanzas se hicieron pedazos en un momento, al vernos detenidos por el asesinato de Achmet.
La cosa sucedi as: cuando el raj puso sus joyas en manos de Achmet, lo hizo porque saba que ste era digno de confianza. Sin embargo, esos orientales son gente muy recelosa. Qu creen que hizo el raj? Pues recurrir a un segundo sirviente, todava ms leal, y ponerlo a espiar al primero. A este segundo hombre se le orden que no perdiera nunca de vista a Achmet y que lo siguiera como si fuese su sombra. Aquella noche lo haba seguido y lo haba visto entrar por la puerta. Como es natural, pens que se haba refugiado en el fuerte, y al da siguiente tambin l solicit ser itido, pero no pudo encontrar ni rastro de Achmet. Esto le pareci tan extrao que habl del asunto con un sargento de exploradores, el cual lo puso en conocimiento del comandante. Inmediatamente se procedi a un registro minucioso y se descubri el cadver. Y de este modo, justo cuando creamos estar a salvo, los cuatro fuimos detenidos y llevados ajuicio por asesinato: tres de nosotros por haber estado de guardia en la puerta aquella noche, y el cuarto porque se saba que haba acompaado a la vctima. Durante el juicio no se dijo ni una palabra acerca de las joyas, porque el raj haba sido derrocado y desterrado de la India, as que nadie tena un inters particular por ellas. Sin embargo, lo del asesinato qued perfectamente demostrado, y estaba claro que los cuatro tenamos que haber participado en l. A los tres sikhs les cayeron trabajos forzados a perpetuidad, y a m me condenaron a muerte, aunque ms adelante me conmutaron la sentencia por la misma que a los dems.
Nos encontrbamos, pues, en una situacin bastante curiosa. All estbamos los cuatro, con una cadena al tobillo y poqusimas probabilidades de salir alguna vez en libertad, a pesar de que cada uno de nosotros conoca un secreto que le habra permitido vivir en un palacio, si hubiera podido aprovecharlo. Era como para volverse loco de rabia, tener que aguantar las patadas y los puetazos de todos aquellos fantasmones, tener que alimentarnos de arroz y agua, cuando fuera tenamos aquella fastuosa fortuna, aguardando que la recogiramos. Aquello podra haberme vuelto loco, pero siempre fui bastante tozudo, as que aguant y esper a que llegara mi momento.
Y por fin me pareci que el momento haba llegado. Me trasladaron desde Agra a Madrs, y de all a la isla de Blair, en las Andamn. En aquella prisin hay muy pocos presos blancos y, como yo me port bien desde el principio, no tard en convertirme en una especie de privilegiado. Se me asign una cabaa en Hope Town, que es un poblado pequeo en la ladera del monte Harriet, y me dejaron prcticamente a mi aire. Es un lugar horrible e infecto, y todo l, excepto los pequeos claros donde vivamos, est plagado de salvajes canbales, siempre dispuestos a dispararnos un dardo envenenado si les dbamos ocasin. Tenamos que cavar, abrir zanjas, plantar ame y otra docena de actividades, de manera que nos mantenamos bastante ocupados todo el da; pero por la noche disponamos de algo de tiempo libre. Entre otras cosas, aprend a preparar y istrar medicinas para ayudar al mdico, y adquir ligeras nociones de su ciencia. Me mantena en constante alerta por si surga una oportunidad de escapar; pero aquello est a cientos de millas de la tierra ms prxima y en aquellos mares apenas sopla el viento, de modo que la fuga resultaba terriblemente difcil.
Nuestro cirujano, el doctor Somerton, era un joven vividor y aficionado al juego, y los dems funcionarios jvenes se reunan por la noche en sus habitaciones para jugar a las cartas. La enfermera, donde yo sola preparar las medicinas, estaba al lado de su cuarto de estar, y haba una ventanita que comunicaba las dos habitaciones. Muchas noches, cuando me senta solo, apagaba la lmpara de la enfermera y me quedaba all, escuchando lo que decan y vindolos jugar. A m tambin me gustan las partidas de cartas, y mirarlos era casi tan entretenido como jugar uno mismo. Adems del mdico, all iban el mayor Sholto, el capitn Morstan y el teniente Bromley Brown, que estaban al mando de las tropas nativas, y tambin dos o tres funcionarios de prisiones, unos viejos zorros que jugaban un juego fino, astuto y seguro. Formaban una cuadrilla muy apaadita.
Pues bien, pasaba una cosa que en seguida me llam la atencin, y era que los militares solan perder siempre y los civiles ganaban. Mire que no estoy diciendo que hicieran trampas, pero lo cierto es que ganaban. Aquellos funcionarios de prisiones apenas haban hecho otra cosa que jugar a las cartas desde que llegaron a las Andamn, y conocan al dedillo el juego de los dems, mientras que los militares jugaban slo para pasar el rato y manejaban las cartas de cualquier manera. Noche tras noche, los militares se iban empobreciendo, y cuanto ms perdan, ms ansiosos estaban por jugar. Al que peor le iba era al mayor Sholto. Al principio, sola pagar en billetes y monedas de oro, pero pronto empez a firmar pagars, y por grandes sumas. A veces ganaba unas cuantas manos, lo suficiente para cobrar nimos, y entonces la suerte se volva contra l, peor que nunca. Se pasaba el da andando de un lado a otro con un humor de perros, y empez a beber mucho ms de lo que le convena.
Una noche, perdi aun ms de lo habitual. Yo estaba sentado en mi cabaa cuando l y el capitn Morstan pasaron tambalendose, camino de sus aposentos. Los dos eran amigos ntimos y no se separaban nunca. El mayor iba rabiando por sus prdidas.
––Esto se acab, Morstan ––iba diciendo al pasar ante mi cabaa––. Tendr que enviar mi dimisin. Estoy en la ruina.
––Tonteras, amigo mo! ––dijo el otro, palmendole la espalda––. A m tambin me ha ido mal, pero...
Eso fue todo lo que o, pero fue suficiente para ponerme a pensar.
Un par de das despus, el mayor Sholto fue a dar un paseo por la playa y aprovech la oportunidad para hablar con l.
––Me gustara pedirle un consejo, seor ––dije.
––Bien, Small, de qu se trata? ––pregunt, sacndose el puro de la boca.
––Quera preguntarle, seor, cul sera la persona ms indicada para hacerle entrega de un tesoro escondido. Yo s dnde hay un botn que vale medio milln de libras y, como yo no puedo aprovecharlo, he pensado que tal vez lo mejor sera entregrselo a las autoridades competentes, y de ese modo es posible que me redujeran la condena.
––Medio milln, Small? jade, mirndome con fijeza para asegurarse de que hablaba en serio.
––Eso mismo, seor. En joyas y perlas. Est a disposicin de quien vaya a cogerlo. Y lo ms curioso del caso es que el autntico propietario est fuera de la ley y no puede reclamar sus propiedades, de manera que pertenece al primero que llegue.
––Pertenece al Gobierno, Small, al Gobierno ––balbuce. Pero lo dijo sin demasiada conviccin y yo supe en el fondo de mi corazn que lo tena atrapado.
––Entonces, seor, cree que debera dar la informacin al gobernador general? ––pregunt muy tranquilo.
––Bueno, no debe usted precipitarse, porque luego podra arrepentirse. Cuntemelo todo, Small. Deme ms detalles.
Le cont toda la historia, con ligeras alteraciones para que no pudiera identificar los lugares. Cuando termin mi relato, se qued completamente inmvil, pensando intensamente. Por el modo en que le temblaba el labio, me di perfecta cuenta de que en su interior se libraba una lucha.
––ste es un asunto muy importante, Small ––dijo por fin––. Lo mejor es que no le diga una palabra a nadie. Pronto volveremos a hablar.
Dos noches despus, el mayor vino a mi cabaa en mitad de la noche, alumbrndose con una linterna y acompaado por su amigo, el capitn Morstan.
––Small, quiero que el capitn Morstan oiga esa historia de sus propios labios ––dijo.
Yo la repet tal como la haba contado la vez anterior.
––Suena a autntico, verdad? ––dijo––. Parece lo bastante bueno como para hacer algo al respecto.
El capitn Morstan asinti.
––Mire usted, Small ––dijo el mayor––. Mi amigo y yo hemos estado hablando del asunto y hemos llegado a la conclusin de que, a fin de cuentas, ese secreto suyo no puede considerarse competencia del Gobierno, sino que es un asunto privado; y usted, desde luego, tiene derecho a disponer de l como mejor le parezca. Ahora, la pregunta es: qu precio pedira usted? Si nos pusiramos de acuerdo en las condiciones, podra interesarnos hacernos cargo del asunto o, al menos, tomarlo en consideracin.
Procuraba hablar en tono fro y despreocupado, pero le brillaban los ojos de excitacin y codicia.
––En cuanto a eso, caballeros ––respond, procurando tambin mostrarme fro, pero sintindome tan excitado como l––, slo hay un trato que pueda hacer un hombre en mi situacin. Quiero que ustedes me ayuden a conseguir la libertad, y que hagan lo mismo con mis tres compaeros. Entonces los aceptaremos en la sociedad y les daremos una quinta parte para que se la repartan entre ustedes.
––Hum! ––dijo l––. Una quinta parte! Eso no es muy tentador.
––Vendran a ser unas cincuenta mil libras por cabeza ––dije yo.
––Pero cmo vamos a conseguirle la libertad? Sabe muy bien que pide un imposible.
––Nada de eso ––respond––. Lo tengo todo pensado hasta el ltimo detalle. El nico impedimento para la fuga es que no podemos conseguir una embarcacin adecuada para el viaje, ni provisiones que nos duren tanto tiempo. Pero en Calcuta o en Madrs hay montones de yates y quichs pequeos que nos serviran perfectamente. Nosotros subiremos a bord por la noche, y si ustedes nos dejan en cualquier parte de la costa india, habrn cumplido su parte del trato.
––Si se tratara slo de una persona... ––dijo.
––O todos o ninguno ––respond––. Lo hemos jurado. Tenemos que ir siempre los cuatro juntos.
––Ya lo ve, Morstan ––dijo el mayor––. Small es un hombre de palabra. No abandona a sus amigos. Creo que podemos fiarnos de l.
––Es un negocio sucio ––respondi el otro––. Pero, como t dices, ese dinero nos sacara a flote perfectamente.
––Muy bien, Small ––dijo el mayor––, supongo que tendremos que aceptar sus condiciones. Pero, como es natural, antes tendremos que comprobar la veracidad de su historia. Dgame dnde est escondida la caja y yo solicitar un permiso e ir a la India en el barco mensual de suministros, para investigar el asunto.
––No tan deprisa ––dije yo, que me iba enfriando a medida que l se acaloraba––. Tengo que obtener el visto bueno de mis tres camaradas. Ya le digo que tenemos que ser los cuatro o ninguno.
––Tonteras! ––estall––. Qu pintan esos tres negros en nuestro trato?
––Negros o azules ––dije yo––, estn conmigo en esto y vamos todos juntos.