“I didn’t hear much; and perhaps I was too stupid to understand it,” added Wade, with a chuckle. “But the captain of the vessel has promised me a licking, and I mean to hold my tongue.” The cashier plied him closely with questions; but Wade had made up his mind to answer none of them, and he did not. “I suppose you know the captain is going to put us on board of a ship?” persisted the defaulter. “I don’t know any thing about what he is going to do, except that he means to give me a licking,” replied the stowaway blankly. “I think he is stupid, as the captain said,” added Mrs. Crogick, in a low tone, though Wade heard what she said. “At least you know that we are a party who started in the night from New York; and you will see that we are all put on board of a ship.” “I know what you say about it.” “For reasons which I will not explain, for you would not understand them, we don’t wish to have it known that we have left New York as we did. Do you think you could keep the secret?” asked Mr. Wallgood; and by this time he was somewhat excited. “I know I could if I tried, and if I got fair play; but, after I have had a licking, I don’t feel like holding my tongue,” replied Wade, deeming it best to get an anchor out to windward. “I pay all the men on this vessel a hundred dollars to hold their tongues. I will pay you the same, if you will keep the secret.” “One hundred dollars!” exclaimed Wade, who had heard of such a sum of money, but he did not realize that he could ever possess such an amount. “That is just what I will give you, if you will never in your life say what has happened on board of this vessel,” added Mr. Wallgood. “Shall I have the money to keep?” asked the incredulous boy; and he had already begun to think of buying a farm in his native town, and astonishing the natives with his wealth. “You shall have the money all for your own; and I will make sure before I leave the vessel that the captain will not flog you,” continued the defaulter. “I will keep the secret to the end of time, if I am allowed to keep the money,” said Wade; and he would not have said it if he had thought that the sum he was to be paid had been stolen from the Walnut National Bank. The cashier handed him a roll of bills; and Wade proceeded at once to count them. It contained the amount mentioned, and he put it into his pocket. He had hardly done so before the captain came down into the cabin. “What are you doing in here, you young rascal?” demanded the skipper angrily. “You think you must have a place in the cabin, do you?” “I called him in, Capt. Bendig,” interposed Mr. Wallgood. “It is not his fault that he is here. I have made the same bargain with him that was made with each of the crew. I have paid him the money.” “You have not given that scalawag a hundred dollars, have you?” exclaimed the captain.