"No, no; tes oal right. Granfer Fraddam was once a pirut on the 'igh says." "Yes; I know he was once a pirate on the high seas, but what of that?" "Well, he got the paaper from another pirut. Some do zay he ded kill un, but that ed'n true. Well, 'ee got et." "Yes; but if he got a paper telling where the treasure was, why did he not take it away?" "Well, Granfer cudden raid, fur wawn thing, and fur another, 'ee wos feared." "Afraid of what?" "Several things. For wawn thing, he was tould that 'twas onlucky to git a treasure that was got through killin' people; but that wudden stop Granfer, I do knaw." "Then what was it?" "Well, Granfer cudden raid the direckshuns, and 'ee cud never maake up his mind to shaw et to anybody that cud. Now, they do zay that when 'ee talked 'bout et 'ee was awful feared. He zed ef 'ee shawed et to anybody they'd kill un. I spoase Granfer was a wisht ould man after 'ee 'ad a accident, and was too ould to live out to say. He repented and turned religious. That was why 'ee ded'n do nothin' but smugglin'. Well, so 'ee did eed away the paper wot 'ee got from the man, and waited till 'ee cud vind somebody to trust. But he cudden vind nobody--nobody toal. Besides, everybody was frad to 'ave anything to do wi' Granfer. People did believe 'ee was a wizard, and 'ad dailins weth the devil. Mawther do zay that nobody would go out mor'n seven mile out to say weth Granfer." "And where is this paper?" "Aw, aw. I vound out I did. Granfer tould mawther, and mawther did tell me. I vound et, and did eed it in another plaace. Aw, aw, you shud a eerd Cap'n Jack and Cap'n Billy swear when they cudden vind et. Aw, aw. But I did love Maaster Jasper, and I'll take 'ee to et, Maaster Jasper, my deear." All the time Eli was speaking he kept fondling my hands and caressing me, just as a man would caress a maid whom he loves. "But does your mother know what you have done?" "No, she doan't. She do believe it have been sperrited away." "Spirited away; what do you mean?" "Mawther do knaw. Aw, aw. But she ed'n right this time, and yet she is oal the time."