inclined to apologize before I go back to take a gruelling from Captain
Newmarch."

It was Kaipi who stampeded the small ray of charity that had pierced the
cluster of suspicions we had collected. The little Fijian performed the
trick about seven o'clock in the evening, and it was done in a most
effective manner. When we had made camp, Leith had sent Soma on ahead
with the ostensible purpose of locating the easiest route to the base of
the cliffs, and an hour afterward Kaipi managed to attract my attention,
and he indicated by signs that he had information to impart. I seized a
chance to help him with the small tent which sheltered the two sisters,
and as we tugged at the knots he slipped a small piece of paper into my
hand.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Soma drop it," he explained nervously. "I follow him just little way
think get good chance kill him, but no chance come. He drop little piece
of paper from his belt; me pick 'em up. I no know what it say; you
read."

I crammed the note into my pocket as Leith approached, but at the first
opportunity I dived into a thicket of leaves and opened it with nervous
fingers. It was brief, exceedingly brief, but no number of words could
have produced the same cold chill of dread which took possession of me
as I glanced over the scrawl upon the paper. The note read:

"Five babies for kindergarten. Arrange everything. Meet at the Long
Gallery."