it is. You said you would answer all my questions, if I
would not prosecute."

"Questions about the Maud," explained Laud. "I have told you the secret
of my love--"

"Hang the secret of your love!" exclaimed Donald, disgusted with that
topic. "I meant all questions."

"But I cannot betray the secrets of Captain Shivernock. My honor--"

"Stick your honor up chimney!" interrupted Donald. "If you go back on
the agreement, I shall take the fire before Squire Peters. The question
I asked was, why Captain Shivernock gave you four or five hundred
dollars?"

"I wish I could answer you, Don John; but I do not feel at liberty to do
so just now. I will see the captain, and perhaps I may honorably give
you the information you seek."

"You needn't mince the matter with me. I know all about it now; but I
want it from you."

"All about what?" asked Laud.

"You needn't look green about it. Do you remember the Saturday when I
told you the Juno was for sale?"

"I do, very distinctly," answered Laud. "You were in the Juno at the
time."

"I was; we parted company, and you stood over towards the Northport
shore."

"Just so."

"Over there you met Captain Shivernock."

"I didn't say I did."

"But I say you did," persisted Donald. "For some reason best known to
himself, the captain did not want any one to know he was on Long Island
that night."

Laud listened with intense interest.

"Do you know what his reason was, Don John?"

"No, I don't. You saw his boat, and overhauled him near the shore."

"Well?"

"You overhauled him near the shore, and he gave you a pile of money not
to say that you had seen him."

"It is you who says all this, and not I," added Laud, with more spirit
than he had before exhibited. "My honor is not touched."

"I wish you wouldn't say anything more about your honor. It is like a
mustard seed in a haymow, and I can't see it," snapped Donald.

"You can see that I came honorably by the money."

"Honestly by it; I am satisfied on that point," replied Donald. "If I
had not been, I wouldn't have sold you the boat. You see I knew
something of Captain Shivernock's movements about that time. If I
hadn't, I wouldn't have believed that he gave it to you."

"Then you must have seen the captain at the same time."

"I didn't say I saw him," laughed Donald. "But the wind is breezing up,
and we are half way over to Brigadier Island. Come about, Laud."

The skipper acceded to the request, and headed t