'I put five hundred dollars in your hands lately, which I was to have, you know, when I should call for it.' 'Yes, sir, certainly by all means.' Poor James! he knew not where it was to come from, and he secretly wished that he had never owned a dollar, or that there was no such thing as money. 'Well, sir, I have just received advices from the city that certain sum of money, which I suppose--' Ned stepped into the office, and requested the presence of his brother a moment. The Commodore bade him go, by all means, that he would wait his leisure. The business for which James was required was to close a very advantageous bargain for some produce, but he was in no state of mind to do business--money, ready money, was the only idea he could cherish; it clung to his spirit like the nightmare; he could neither bargain nor calculate, so he waived the matter, and was back again to the little room; he merely whispered to Ned, 'The Commodore, I suppose, has come for his money.' 'What shall we do?' 'I don't know.' And he entered the room again, and sat down. 'As I was saying, Mr. Montjoy, when your brother called you away, a certain sum of money, which I supposed had been invested, I learn by my advices to-day is still lying idle, and waiting my orders. These are ticklish times, Mr. Montjoy, and they will be worse before long. I am afraid of stocks at present, and have therefore concluded to draw for these funds, and place them in your hands; you can use them to advantage, no doubt.' And the Commodore took a long pinch of snuff, which had been for some time in waiting between his thumb and forefinger. James felt a load fall from his heart, and for a moment was silent. 'I thank you, sir, for your kind offer, and for the confidence reposed in us; but before I can give you an answer, allow me to confer with my brother.' The character of these two young men had never been so severely tested before. An offer, unsolicited, had been made to them of that which they stood so much in need of, and which would relieve them from embarrassment. Ned clapped his hands, and rubbed them violently together in the ecstasy of his joy. 'But, my dear Ned, ought we to take it?' 'Why not?' 'Because, he doubtless supposes that we are well off, and has no idea of our losses; and I've been thinking that, under the circumstances, we ought not to touch a dollar of it.' 'That, to be sure, Jim;'--and Ned's countenance drooped; he hung his head, and began to kick the counter with his foot. 'We concluded, you know, Ned, that we would take no more money in this way.' 'Well, we had better stick to that, let what will come.' 'How would it answer to tell him just the situation of things with us, and the reasons why we cannot receive it.' 'If you tell him any thing, Jim, you had better tell the whole.' James's heart was lighter, because he had resolved to act consistently with a sense of duty. 'I believe, sir, we must decline your generous offer.'