It was as dark as this, sir, and I saw nothing and heard nothing.
When I come back, sir, I stepped into the box out of the rain and felt it with my feet.

I struck a light, sir, and found it was for you." Sir Frank slipped the package into his pocket and went away after a grim word or so to the sentry, advising him to be more on the alert.

He was puzzled to think who had left the packet in the sentry box, and curious to know what it contained.

As soon as he got to his own room, he cut the string which bound loosely the brown paper.

Then, in the lamplight, there rolled out from the carelessly-tied parcel a glorious sea-green emerald of great size, radiating light like a sun.