“I have; and I feel safer now than I did before. I hope you will not attempt to flog him; for really I don’t think he meant to do any thing wrong.” “He had no business in the yacht; and he won’t tell me how he got on board of the vessel. He deserves a flogging to teach him better than to take up his quarters in a gentleman’s yacht.” Wade retreated to the state-room, feeling that the cashier could settle this question better when he was absent than when he was present. The door was open, and he could hear all that was said. In the end Capt. Bendig promised not to flog him, after a good deal of pleading on the part of the defaulter; and this was all Wade cared to hear, though he could not help listening to something more as long as he staid in the state-room. “That infernal revenue-cutter is coming up this way; and we shall have to wait till night before we put you on board of the ‘Housatonic,’” said the captain, as soon as the flogging-question was settled. “A few hours will make no difference. She can have no motive for overhauling the yacht,” replied the cashier. “None at all. The bank people could not have known that any thing was wrong about the establishment before nine or ten o’clock this morning; and the cutter was not in port last night,” added the captain. The party in the cabin seemed to think they were still safe; and they expressed no fears of the result of the expedition. While Wade sat in the captain’s state-room, Pollish came in to see him. He closed the cabin-door, and evidently had something to say. “See here, lad, I have a place for you; but it is all my situation is worth for the captain to find out that I put you into it,” said Pollish in a whisper. “I never will tell him, if he pulls my bones apart for it,” replied Wade. “You can trust me as long as you live. But I heard the captain tell the folks in the cabin that he wouldn’t flog me.” “Don’t you believe him,” said Pollish earnestly. “He will do any thing he likes, in spite of his promises. Keep out of sight till the yacht gets back to New York.” “I will take any place you say,” added Wade. “In the forecastle you will find a place under the lower berth, as far forward as you can go, on the starboard side.” “I am very much obliged to you, Mr. Pollish; and, when I can do any thing for you, I shall be very glad to do it,” replied Wade. “But the captain may find you there, though I don’t think he will,” added the steward. “If he finds me, I won’t say a word that will do you any harm. But I think I needn’t go into the place till these people in the cabin are gone; for the captain promised Mr. Wallgood that I should not be touched.” “There is the place, and you can go into it when you are ready. I think you had better go and look at it while all the hands are on deck. You must not let any of the sailors know you are in the place, for they may blow on you.” “I will not;” and Wade went into the forecastle to look at his future hiding-place.