It seemed as though he must have realized that these last replies concealed a story better left unprobed.

But Remington wanted to know why Thalassa had come searching for diamonds in that part of the world when he knew of plenty in another, and Thalassa had replied, in all simplicity, that it was because the Almighty had endowed him with more muscles than brains, and he hadn't recognized the worth of the stones at the time.

In fact, he didn't know that they were diamonds.

His experience on the fields had improved his knowledge in that respect, and he now knew that he had left behind him on the lonely island enough diamonds in the rough to make them all rich--two bottlesful, and some in a leather bag, where the dead man also kept one of those digging licenses which the damned German officials sold you--what did they call it?
Prospector's license--a _schurfschein_?
said Remington.

Yes, that was it.