He was not quite satisfied to trust her alone all night, and he decided to sleep in her cabin. He went to the house, and told Barbara he was afraid some accident might happen to the yacht, and with the lantern and some bed-clothes, he returned to her. He swept up the half-burned shavings, and threw them overboard. There was not a vestige of the fire left, and he swabbed up the water with a sponge. Making his bed on the transom, he lay down to think over the events of the evening. He went to sleep after a while, and we will leave him in this oblivious condition while we follow Laud Cavendish, who, it cannot be denied, was in a most unhappy frame of mind. He ran the Juno up to her moorings, and after he had secured her sail, and locked up the cabin door, he went on shore. Undoubtedly he had done an immense amount of heavy thinking within the last two hours, and as he was not overstocked with brains, it wore upon him. It was nearly ten o'clock in the evening, but late as it was, Laud walked directly to the house of Captain Shivernock. There was a light in the strange man's library, or office, and another in the dining-room, where the housekeeper usually sat, which indicated that the family had not retired. Laud walked up to the side door, and rang the bell, which was promptly answered by Mrs. Sykes. "Is Captain Shivernock at home?" asked the late visitor. "He is; but he don't see anybody so late as this," replied the housekeeper. "I wish to speak to him on very important business, and it is absolutely necessary that I should see him to-night," persisted Laud. "I will tell him." Mrs. Sykes did tell him, and the strange man swore he would not see any one, not even his grandmother, come down from heaven. She reported this answer in substance to Laud. "I wish to see him on a matter in which he is deeply concerned," said the troubled visitor. "Tell him, if you please, in regard to the Hasbrook affair." Perhaps Mrs. Sykes knew something about the Hasbrook affair herself, for she promptly consented to make this second application for the admission of the stranger, for such he was to her. She returned in a few moments with an invitation to enter, and so it appeared that there was some power in the "Hasbrook affair." Laud was conducted to the library,--as the retired shipmaster chose to call the apartment, though there were not a dozen books in it,--where the captain sat in a large rocking-chair, with his feet on the table. "Who are you?" demanded the strange man; and we are obliged to modify his phraseology in order to make it admissible to our pages. "Mr. Laud Cavendish, at your service," replied he, politely. "_Mister_ Laud Cavendish!" repeated the captain, with a palpable sneer; "you are the swell that used to drive the grocery wagon." "I was formerly employed at Miller's store, but I am not there now." "Well, what do you want here?" "I wish to see you, sir." "You do see me--don't you?" growled the eccentric. "What's your business?"