He
was also in the habit of having certain shady transactions with that
daring gang of continental thieves of whom Dick Archer and Hylton Chater
were leaders. For this reason he purchased a yacht for their use, so
that they might not only use it for the purpose of storing the stolen
goods, but for the purpose of sailing from place to place under the
guise of wealthy Englishmen traveling for pleasure. Upon that vessel,
indeed, was stored thousands and thousands of pounds' worth of jewels
and objects of value, the proceeds of many great robberies in England,
France and Belgium. Sometimes they traveled for the purpose of disposing
of the jewels in various inland towns where the gems, having been recut,
were not recognized, while at other times, Chater and Archer, assisted
by Mackintosh, the captain, and Olinto Santini, the steward, sailed for
a port, landed, committed a robbery, and then sailed away again, quite
unsuspected, as rich Englishmen."
"And the crew?" I asked, after a pause.
"They were, of course, well paid, and were kept in ignorance of what
the supposed owner and his friends did ashore.
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