"Why--er--where did you come from?" stammered the seaman. "I asked you what you have to say against Walter Russell," demanded Caleb. "Come, out with it, or by the jumping beeswax, I'll wipe up this deck with you!" And he doubled up his fists. "I'm not afraid, if you want to fight, Walton," replied Haskett, recovering somewhat from his fright. "What I said about Russell, I'll stick to." "But what have you got to say? out with it," was the old gunner's demand. "I've got this much to say. I think Russell took Doring's gold piece, and I am not the only one that does either. If you think I'm wrong, ask Cal Blinker, the shellman. He heard almost as much as I did." "Heard what?" "Heard Russell talk in his sleep. It was last night. I got up to get a drink of water and slipped and roused up Blinker. Then, when I went to the water tub, I passed Russell's hammock. He was dreaming and talking about the gold piece and saying that Doring would never learn that he had it, and a lot more about hiding it under the gun. He went on about the money and about hiding it for fully ten minutes. If you don't believe me, go to Blinker about it." CHAPTER X WALTER SHOWS HIS PLUCK "And is that all you have to say?" asked Caleb Walton, after a few seconds of silence, during which he gazed so sharply at Jim Haskett that the fellow felt compelled to drop his eyes. "Because a fellow dreams about a gold piece, must you accuse him of stealing?" "That's all right, too," responded Haskett, doggedly. "I know he wouldn't dream that way unless there was something in the wind. I'm satisfied he took the money." "And I am satisfied that he is innocent," cried Caleb. "That boy would never steal a cent from anybody." "Why, he was after a thief himself before he left Boston," put in Paul, who had now sought protection behind the old gunner. "Well, suit yourselves," answered Haskett, with a shrug of his somewhat rounded shoulders. "But let me tell you that I won't allow Russell, Doring, or anybody else to speak of me as having taken the money--mind that!" And he shook his fist savagely. "Here comes Walter now," announced Paul. "Walter, come here!" he called out, before Caleb could stop him. At once Walter came up, an inquiring look upon his manly face, which was now becoming sunburnt through exposure on deck. "What do you want, Paul?" he asked. "It's only some of Haskett's nonsense," answered Caleb, ere the boy could speak. "Tell us, lad, do you remember dreaming anything about Si's gold piece?" For the instant Walter looked puzzled, then his face brightened. "I do," he answered. "What of it?" "Tell us what you dreamed first." "Why--I--I can't remember exactly, excepting that I was having a good lot of worry about it," he stammered. "You know how dreams come and go." "To be sure, Walter." "You dreamt about the money you hid, didn't you?" said Haskett, sneeringly. "The money I hid? I hid no money." "Oh no, of course not!"