Double cross purposes

the long version

From the start, it seems an unholy alliance. As every reader of the cheap press knows, the Honourable Vernon Lethaby (son of a peer) is a flamboyant, headlineseeking exhibitionist, young, handsome—if a trifle effeminate—with extravagant tastes and an allowance that barely covers his racing debts. Rougher around the edges to be sure, Joe "Digger" Henderson is a man of a quieter turn. Among his considerable abilities, the middle-aged Canadian adventurer, former rumrunner and suspected train robber boasts a remarkable facility for digging. No more unlikely partnership ever struck out for the Highlands of Scotland to hunt for Prince Charlie's fabulous treasure. According to legend, the booty is snuggly interred in the Isle of Erran, and, according to Lethaby, a ciphered map he recollects from childhood days at Dreams Castle might just pinpoint the precise location. All that remains is to make a suitable arrangement with Sir Charles Airdrie, the new owner of the castle and island, for the digging to begin. Enter Detective Miles Bredon of the Indescribable Insurance Company, which firm is insuring Lethaby against fraud on Digger's part and Sir Charles against fraud on both their parts. Bredon's job: to insure that none of them defrauds the Indescribable!