ce. I've heard that thousands
of pounds are lost every year at card-playing and horse-racing. The
money only changes hands, I know; but what good does it do? If a man
can afford to part with a thousand pounds in such a way, how much better
it would be for him and everybody else if he would expend it in
furnishing a certain number of persons with the means to earn their own
living. I don't believe it's _right_ for people to squander and waste
their money; I believe that money is given to people _in trust_, and
that everybody will have to answer for the way in which they discharge
that trust; don't you, Miss Lascelles?"

"Certainly I do, Robert," answered Blanche, very gravely. "But I must
admit that I have never until now viewed the matter in the serious light
in which you put it. I must beg your pardon, and I do most sincerely,
for the way in which I spoke to you just now. I had no idea that you
had any such good reasons as you have given for desiring to be rich.
But what would you be able to do single-handed, no matter how rich you
might be?"

"Ah!" ejaculated Bob with a gesture of impatience, "that's just what
_everybody_ says, and that's exactly where the mischief lies; they don't
do anything because they can't do _everything_, and because they can't
get others to join them. But I shouldn't look at it like that; I should
just do my duty, whether other people did theirs or not; if others
choose to shirk their duty it is their own look-out, it affords no
excuse for me to shirk mine. But there--it's no use for me to talk like
this; perhaps I never shall be rich; the gold is there, you say; but
that is a very different thing from having it banked in England. How do
they think we are going to get it away from the island without
discovery? You may depend upon it that, whenever we go, it will be all
in a hurry."

Blanche explained Captain Staunton's plan as to the carrying off of the
gold; but Bob shook his head dubiously.

"It is a capital plan, I admit," he said, "but its success depends upon
everything turning out exactly as arranged, and--you mark my words--
things _won't_ turn out that way at all; they never do. Will you do me
a favour, Miss Lascelles?"

"Certainly I will, Robert, provided of course that it is in my power,"
answered Blanche.

"Thank you," said Bob. "You can do it easily enough. Bring home here--
and get the other ladies to do the same--every day when you return from
the cavern, as