Soon he had excavated a considerable amount of sand and brought to the surface a considerable part of the buried beam. It was at this point that he felt the shell strike something hard. “I suppose it is a stone,” thought Robert. And he continued his work with the object of getting it out of the way. It was not long before the object was exposed to view. What was Robert’s surprise and excitement to find it an ivory portemonnaie, very much soiled and discolored by sea water! Now, I suppose no one can find a purse or pocketbook without feeling his pulse a little quickened, especially where, as in Robert’s case, money is so much needed. He immediately opened the portemonnaie, and to his great delight found that it contained several gold pieces. As my readers will feel curious to know the extent of his good luck, I will state definitely the amount of his discovery. There were two gold ten-dollar pieces, two of five, one two-dollar-and-a-half piece and fifty cents in silver. In all there were thirty-three dollars in gold and silver. Robert’s delight may be imagined. If he had felt in luck the day before, when he had been paid two dollars, how much more was he elated by a sum which to him seemed almost a fortune! “I am glad George didn’t take me on board his boat,” he reflected. “If he had, I should never have found this money. Now, I don’t care if I do stay here all night. Uncle had little idea what service he was doing me when he left me alone on Egg Island.” Though Robert expressed his willingness to spend the night on Egg Island, he soon became eager to get home so that he could exhibit to his aunt the evidence of his extraordinary luck. He anticipated the joy of the poor woman as she saw assured to her for weeks to come a degree of comfort to which for a long time she had been unaccustomed. Robert examined his raft once more and resolved to proceed to make it ready for service. It took longer than he anticipated, and it was nearly two hours later before he ventured to launch it. He used a board for a paddle, and on his frail craft he embarked, with a bold heart, for the mainland. CHAPTER XI A FRIEND GOES TO THE RESCUE Leaving Robert for a time, we will accompany George Randolph on his homeward trip. George did not at all enjoy the plain speaking he had heard from Robert. The more he thought of it the more his pride was outraged and the more deeply he was incensed. “The low-lived fellow!” he exclaimed as he was rowing home. “I never heard of such impudence before. He actually seemed to think that I would take as a passenger a common fisherman’s boy. I haven’t sunk as low as that.” George was brought up to have a high opinion of himself and his position. He really thought that he was made of a different sort of clay than the poor boys with whom he was brought in contact, and his foolish parents encouraged him in this foolish belief.