"But what was he doing down there, that made him so particular to keep shady about it?" "I haven't the least idea. It was the morning after Hasbrook was pounded to a jelly in his own house; but I am satisfied that the captain had nothing to do with it." "I am not so sure of that," added Laud. "I am. I went to the captain's house before he returned that day, and both Sykes and his wife told me he had left home at four o'clock that morning, and this was after the pounding was done. Besides, the captain was over on Long Island when I saw him. If he had done the deed, he would have got home before daylight, for the wind was fresh and fair. Instead of that, he was over at Turtle Head when I first saw him. The Juno got aground with him near Seal Harbor, which made him so mad he would not keep her any longer. He was mad because she wasn't a centre-boarder. I suppose after we parted he went over to the Lincolnville or Northport Shore, and hid till after dark in Spruce Harbor, Saturday Cove, or some such place. At any rate, I was at his house in the evening, when he came home." "The old fellow had been up to some trick, you may depend upon it," added Laud, sagely. "I came to the conclusion that his desire to keep dark was only a whim, for he is the strangest man that ever walked the earth." "That's so; but why should he give me such a pile if he hadn't been up to something?" "And me another pile," added Donald. "We can talk this thing over between ourselves, but not a word to any other person." "Certainly; I understand. I am paid for holding my tongue, and I intend to do so honorably." "So do I, until I learn that there is something wrong." "You have told me some things I did not know before, Don John," suggested Laud. "You knew that the captain was down by Long Island." "Yes, but I didn't know he was at Turtle Head; and I am satisfied now that he is the man that shook up Hasbrook that night," continued Laud, in meditative mood. "Are you? Then I will let the whole thing out," exclaimed Donald. "No, no! don't do that!" protested Laud. "That wouldn't be fair, at all." "I would not be a party to the concealment of such an outrage." "You don't understand it. Hasbrook is a regular swindler." "That is no reason why he should be pounded half to death in the middle of the night." "He borrowed a thousand dollars of Captain Shivernock a short time before the outrage. The captain told him he would lend him the money if Hasbrook would give him a good indorser on the paper. After the captain had parted with the money, he ascertained that the indorser was not worth a dollar. Hasbrook had told him the name was that of a rich farmer, and of course the captain was mad. He tried to get back his money, for he knew Hasbrook never paid anything if he could help it. Here is the motive for the outrage," reasoned Laud. "Why didn't he prosecute him for swindling? for that's what it was."