o Captain Patterdale."

"To Captain Patterdale!" exclaimed Laud, springing to his feet.

"What odds does it make to you whom he paid it to?" asked Donald,
astonished at this sudden demonstration.

"None at all," replied Laud, recovering his self-possession.

"What made you jump so, then?"

"A mosquito bit me," laughed Laud. But it was a graveyard laugh. "Leach
paid the bill to Captain Patterdale--you say?"

"Yes, and Captain Patterdale says there is something wrong about the
bill," continued Donald, who was far from satisfied with the explanation
of his companion.

"What was the matter? Wasn't the bill good?" inquired Laud.

"Yes, the bill was good; but something was wrong, he didn't tell me
what."

"That was an odd way to leave it. Why didn't he tell you what was
wrong?"

"I don't know. I suppose he knows what he is about, but I don't."

"I should like to know what was wrong about this bill. It has passed
through my hands, and it may affect my honor in some way," mused Laud.

"You had better have your honor insured, for it will get burned up one
of these days," added Donald, as he rose from his seat, and hauled in
his skiff, which was towing astern.

He stepped into the boat, and tossed Laud's basket to him.

"Here is your basket, Laud," added he. "It was my evidence against you;
and next time, when you want to burn a yacht, don't leave it on her
deck."

"You will keep shady--won't you, Don John?" he pleaded.

"That will depend upon what you say and do," answered Donald, as he
shoved off, and sculled to the wharf where the Maud lay, to assure
himself that she was in no danger.

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 thin