But, all the same, the culprit was set aside for punishment, two of the watchers present at the examination declaring that they had seen him put his hand to his mouth and swallow something.
The next man, upon being summoned to the stool, came up boldly and displayed a child-like eagerness to prove his innocence, opening his mouth widely and passing his fore-fingers round between gums and cheeks, thrusting his little fingers into his ears, and then bending down and going through the motion of one washing his head.
But he did not wash any gems out of his shock of little nubbly curls.
"No got no dymons, boss," he cried.

"Me go now, boss ?" "No," said the chief searcher sharply.

"Clap that foot of yours upon the stool." The black stared at him hard and shook his head.
"Do you hear ?" cried the searcher.

"Clap that right foot upon the stool." The black stared at him vacantly, shook his head again, and turned to the second searcher, who translated the order into the man's own tongue.
At this the black smiled and nodded.

Then, turning to the chief searcher, he placed his bare left foot upon the stool.
"No, no: the other," cried the stern official, pointing to the right foot, and the order was emphasised by his assistant.
Once more the black looked intelligent, placed both his feet upon the ground, changed them several times by shuffling them about, and once more placed his left foot upon the stool.
Anson chuckled with delight, and turned to West.
But this act on the part of the black was too much for the chief searcher's composure.
"Up with the black scoundrel's foot!" he roared, and his assistant seized the black's ankle, and gave it such a vigorous hoist that the man's equilibrium was upset, so that, though the foot was planted firmly on the stool, he fell over backwards, leaving his support upon the stool, where it was probed by the searchers, who were not at all surprised to find a large stone hidden between the little and the next toe.
"There's a blackguard!" cried Anson excitedly, turning to his companions.