“Indeed?” said Gilbert. “What did he ask you?” As well as he could, Stummer repeated the conversation he had had with Nuggy Polk. The reader can well imagine that the young lieutenant listened with interest. “I am much obliged, Carl,” he said at the conclusion. “I’ll have a talk with the fellow later on.” And then he walked away, to think the matter over. He was much perplexed, and hardly knew what to do next. Would it be possible to corner Polk, and, if so, would the game be worth the candle? “The thing happened so many years ago, and at the best the matter would drag through the courts, perhaps for years,” he reasoned. “And to prosecute the Polks would take a lot of money, which I haven’t got. It looks like a wild-goose chase.” Major Morris found him seated on a camp-chair in a corner of the deck, deep in thought. The sun had set far over the land in the west; and the stars were peeping forth one by one, dotting the flowing and rolling ocean with innumerable tiny lights. At the bow of the transport a dozen soldiers were singing,--one old favorite of home after another,--and at the stern somebody was strumming a banjo, and two privates were doing a “buck and wing” dance to the delight of the onlookers. “You look serious, lieutenant,” observed the major, as he dropped in a chair beside Gilbert. “I feel a bit serious,” was the answer, with a quiet smile. “Major, I should like your advice.” “You are welcome to it. Do you want to know what I think of that young man you pointed out to me?” “Yes.” “I think he is an equal compound of conceit and slyness,--a fellow who is to be trusted as far as you can see him, and no more.” “He has taken the pains to find out who I am.” “I don’t wonder at it. I am surprised he didn’t do so before.” “As he now knows who I am, he must know that I am interested in the case which my mother brought against the Richmond Importing Company.” “Undoubtedly, and he will do all he can to head you off--providing you make any movement he thinks detrimental to his or his father’s interests.” “That is what I have been thinking, and I’m wondering if it would be worth while to fight the thing.” “Not unless you can get direct evidence against the elder Polk. If I were you, I’d try to hunt up this Amos Bartlett the first chance I got.” “I’ll do that.” “He may know something, or be able to put you on the track of something.” “I hope he proves a friend.” “Perhaps it wouldn’t be a bad plan to write to some first-class lawyer in Richmond, asking him to look the matter up for you. Very often you can get a lawyer to take up a case on shares, if he thinks there is money in it.” “That’s an idea!” cried Gilbert. “I know a lawyer, a good fellow, named Branders, whom I met in Cuba. He was from Richmond, and I know he’ll do all he can for me.” “Then write to him by all means, stating your case in detail, and tell him that you are going to hunt up Amos Bartlett, if you can.” “I suppose I can mail the letter at Nagasaki.”