"That wus it. They left the cash in a box in Corsiker, 'nother island; I-talyan, I take it. But I'll bet a dollar you never find anythin' there." "That is as may be." The captain liberated a full sigh and dug a hand into a trousers pocket. He looked cautiously about. The two of them were without witnesses. The landlord was always willing to serve beer to those in quest of it; but immediately on providing it, he resumed his interrupted perusal of the sporting column. At this moment his soul was flying around the track at Bennington. When the captain pulled out his hand it seemed full of bright autumn leaves. Donovan's glass was suspended midway between the table and his lips. Slowly the glass retraced the half-circle and resumed its perpendicular position upon the oak. "Beauties; huh?" said the captain. "Twenty-dollar bills!" "Yessir; every one of 'em as good as gold; payable to bearer on demand, says your Uncle Sam." "An' why are you makin' me envious this way?" said Donovan crossly. "Donovan, you and me's been friends off an' on these ten years, ever since th' commodore bought th' _Laura_. Well, says he t' me 'Capt'n, we forgot that Mr. Donovan was in th' room at th' time o' th' discovery. Will you be so kind as to impress him with the fact that this expedition is on the Q.T.? Not that I think he will say anythin', but you might add these few bits o' paper to his promise not t' speak.' Says I, 'I'll trust Mr. Donovan.' An' I do. You never broke no promise yet." "It pays in the long run," replied Mr. Donovan, vainly endeavoring to count the bills. "Well, this 'ere little fortune is yours if you promise to abide by th' conditions." "That I keeps my mouth shut." "An' _not_ open it even to th' Mrs." Mr. Donovan permitted a doubt to wrinkle his brow. "That'll be a tough proposition." "Put th' money in th' bank and say nothin' till you hear from me," advised the captain. "That's a go." "Then I give you these five nice ones with th' regards o' th' commodore." The captain stripped each bill and slowly laid it down on the table for the fear that by some curious circumstance there might be six. "One hundred? Capt'n, I'm a--" Mr. Donovan emptied his glass with a few swift gulps and banged the table. "Two more." The landlord lowered his paper wearily (would they never let him alone?) and stepped behind the bar. At the same time Mr. Donovan folded the bills and stowed them away. "Not even t' th' Mrs.," he swore. "Here's luck, Capt'n." "Same t' you; an' don't get drunk this side o' Jersey City." And with this admonition the captain drank his beer and thumped off for the water front, satisfied that the village would hear nothing from Mr. Donovan. Nevertheless, it was shameful to let a hundred go that easy; twenty would have served. He was about to hail the skiff when he was accosted by the quiet little man he had recently observed sitting alone in the corner of Swan's office.