“Well, I wonder if anybody ever heard of such a thing as this before!” said he, drawing his handkerchief across his forehead. “If I didn’t have the evidence of my own eyes and ears, I shouldn’t believe it. Who told them about the barrel, I wonder! I’ve heard mother say that old Jordan buried a lot of silver-ware, such as knives, forks and spoons, for her during the war, but I thought she had got the most of it back again. I never heard her say she lost a whole barrelful, and I don’t believe she did. The only money that was ever buried on this plantation, was fifteen hundred dollars in gold, and that was hidden under the front steps of the old house. I’ve seen the place a hundred times. But eighty thousand dollars! My stars! I don’t believe father ever had so much money at one time in his life. But suppose it was there, and Clarence should find it; it isn’t possible that he would be dishonest enough to keep it. I shouldn’t like to think that my own cousin was so great a rascal. Hold on! I’ve just thought of a trick that will beat the hollow pumpkin all to pieces.” Talking thus to himself, Don carefully closed and locked the stable-door, and with noiseless footsteps stole along the fence until he arrived opposite the place where Clarence and Godfrey were at work in the field. He could see them plainly, for they were but a few yards from the fence, and as he watched them it was all he could do to keep from giving a few dismal groans, just to see what effect the sound would have upon them. The only thing that restrained him was the fear that by so doing he would interfere with the plans he had suddenly formed, and which he intended to put into operation the very next day. He did not want to frighten Godfrey away from the potato-patch just then. He wanted him to come again the next night, and by that time he would be ready to show him something. He stayed in the fence-corner for half an hour; and then knowing that if he remained there any longer, his absence would be certain to attract the attention of the family, and perhaps lead to more questions from his father and mother than he would care to answer, he arose and stole away toward the house. “Have you seen anything of Clarence?” was the first question his cousin Marshall asked him, after he had distributed the mail he brought from the post-office. “Yes, I saw him. He’s out there,” was the reply. “Out there!” replied the general. “Out where?” “Out near the barn when I first saw him,” said Don; and to himself he added: “I suppose I ought to tell now where he was the last time I saw him, but that would never do. I don’t want to get my cousin into trouble, and neither do I want to spoil all my fun. Won’t I have things fixed for Godfrey to-morrow night, though? I’ll scare him so that he will never put his foot on the plantation again!”