He was very flush of money at the time, and kept throwing out hints, when we were alone, of a place he knew of where there was the biggest fortune on earth, to be had for the mere picking up and carrying away.

He had brought away as much of it as he could, but he hadn't time to get it all, before he was chased out by the Chinese, who, he said, were strong in the neighbourhood." Kitwater stopped and rubbed his hands with a chuckle.

Decidedly the recollection was a pleasant one.
"Well," he continued, "to make a long story short, I took advantage of my opportunity, and got his secret out of him by ...

well never mind how I managed it.

It is sufficient that I got it.