"To-morrow--as soon as the inventory is completed.--She is not as rich, sir, as I anticipated, but there will be a plenty, sir, a plenty." "Ha, Sir Edward, this is a peculiar proceeding--taking account of a pirate ship," said Marbury. "I don't know the law of such prizes, but I'll be on the safe side; no King's deputy is going to pick things over without any one to check him." "A wise precaution, and an interesting transaction,--in fact, a wholly enjoyable occasion," Parkington answered. "Jewels, money, gay apparel,--everything to appeal to one. You have got well into it, I see," pointing to the deck. "We have finished it, so far as such things are concerned--that is, we have finished the collecting. They must have lately buried or spent their ill-gotten gains; this is the gatherings of only a comparatively short time, I think. "For these things make us duly thankful!" laughed Parkington. "Oh! I am not complaining, and neither, I fancy, is Jamison. I am satisfied--more than satisfied. Here is a diamond brooch, worth at least five hundred pistoles--and another--and another. They were in Long-Sword's cabin. And this bezelled ruby, equally as valuable; and this emerald, bigger than the others, I know not the worth of. There is much gold and silver, too, and many rings and--well, I should put it all at twenty thousand pounds, though half may be too much. Then, there is the ship itself--and Jamison and the crew have the reward to boot. Oh, he can leave the sea, and settle down, if he is so minded." Parkington looked down at the pile of plunder at his feet. Marbury had been modest in his estimate, he knew. It may, as he said, have been the pickings of a short cruise, but it was a rich prize, then, that they had gathered. There were jewels of many kinds and many sizes, other than the few Marbury had enumerated. Dozens of pearls, and sapphires, rubies and diamonds--set in rings, and singly--encrusted in daggers, and swords, and fans. Great heaps of stuffs: silks and laces, tapestries and damaskins. "Mr. Marbury's valuation is much too low," said he, looking at Jamison. "Do you think so, sir? Well, the bigger the value the better." He plunged his hands into his breeches pocket and squared away. "I do not--Why, where, in hell, is the key!" he cried. "What key!" demanded Marbury. "The key to the irons--Long-Sword's irons; I had it an hour ago--here, in my pocket!--I----" "Then you, doubtless, lost it in the confusion of gathering all this plunder," said Parkington. "And it is no great matter, anyway," Marbury remarked. "You don't intend to remove the irons, so long as Long-Sword is in your custody, do you?" "No, most assuredly not!" "Then the Annapolis authorities can cut them off at their leisure, if they have not a key. They are locked on now, which is the essential thing." "How do you suppose I lost it? I----"