But the squire did seem to have gone actually crazy, for it was evident he was fully awake. He continued to prance about excitedly, exclaiming, “It’s money! I’ve got it! I’ve got it!” until poor Mrs. Brackett was at her wit’s end. Ignoring alike her entreaties and her scornful remarks, he descended to his office, drew forth the mystical paper, eyed it triumphantly for a moment, and then wrote as follows: “Chambers says MONEY must be still aboard yacht.” “Hooray!” cried the squire. “There it is. Oh, I reckon I’m pretty deep, myself. Yes, and I see the rest of it now.” The squire finished the letter thus: “Sound under third starboard locker.” “That’s right,” he said. “That means there’s some sort of a secret chamber in one of the starboard lockers, and that by sounding, or hammering, on the right spot, it will echo hollow, or give some sound different from the other boards. Oh, I’ll get that yacht, no matter what I have to pay—and I’ll get the money, too. I reckon I haven’t cut my eye-teeth for nothing.” The squire could hardly close his eyes for the rest of the night. By daybreak he was out alongside the _Viking_. “Look here,” said Squire Brackett, as he opened the doors of the cabin, and peered in at Henry Burns and Harvey, who were at breakfast, “I want you boys to do me a little favour.” Harvey’s face betrayed his astonishment. “Oh, I’ll make it worth your while, too,” continued the squire. “I’m willing to pay handsomely for it. You see, I’ve got a party of friends coming down the bay, and I want to meet them at Mayville and give them a few days’ cruising. I’ll admit there’s a little business in it for me, too. Now I want to do the thing up in good shape, and my boat isn’t fit for putting on style. I want the _Viking_ for just one week, and I’ll pay you twenty dollars for it.” There was no immediate response. Henry Burns and Harvey looked at each other doubtfully. The offer was almost tempting. “Well,” cried the squire, seizing the opportunity, “I’ll not stand at five dollars at a time like this. Say twenty-five dollars for a single week, and the money is yours.” “In advance?” asked Henry Burns. “Yes, sir,” replied Squire Brackett, “in advance—though I reckon my name on a piece of paper is good for that amount anywhere in this county. Yes, and I’ll do more. I’ll sign an agreement to deliver the yacht back to you in this harbour, one week from the time of hiring it, in as good condition as when I get it, or pay for the difference.” Henry Burns looked at Harvey, inquiringly. Harvey nodded. “Well,” said Henry Burns, “on those conditions I think we’ll let you have her—but only for one week. You’ll have to wait two days, though. We’ve got some fresh enamel on part of the woodwork, and some of the mahogany finish has been scraped and newly oiled, and it isn’t quite dry enough for hard usage yet. Let’s see, to-day is Wednesday. You may have her on Saturday morning, if you’ll bring her back the next Saturday, any time before night.”