reau
if Donald had not assisted him; but he had no help in finding a lot of
notes and other papers hidden under a sill in the shop. The boat-builder
protested that he knew nothing about these papers, and had never seen
them before in his life.

Mrs. Ramsay and Barbara wept as though their hearts would break; but
Donald was led away by the sheriff.

That night Captain Shivernock returned by the train from Portland.

CHAPTER XVI.

SATURDAY COVE.

Mr. Beardsley, the deputy sheriff, conducted Donald to the elegant
mansion of Captain Patterdale. Perhaps no one who saw them walking
together suspected that the boat-builder was charged with so gross a
crime as stealing the tin box and its valuable contents. Some persons do
not like to walk through the streets with sheriffs and policemen; but
Donald was not of that sort, for in spite of all the evidence brought
against him, he obstinately refused to believe that he was guilty. Even
the fact that several notes and other papers had been found in the shop
did not impair his belief in his own innocence. Captain Patterdale was
in his library nervously awaiting the return of the officer, when they
arrived.

"Don John, I hope you will come out of this all right," said he, as they
entered.

"I have no doubt I shall, sir," replied Donald. "If I don't, it will be
because I can't prove what is the truth."

Mr. Beardsley reported the result of the search, and handed the captain
the four fifty-dollar bills with the papers.

"I have no doubt all these were in the tin box," said the nabob, sadly.
"The bills are like those paid me by Hasbrook, and these notes are
certainly mine. I don't ask you to commit yourself, Don John, but--"

"Commit myself!" exclaimed Donald, with a look of contempt, which, in
this connection, was sublime. "I mean to speak the truth, whether I am
committed or not."

"Perhaps you will be able to clear this thing up," added Captain
Patterdale. "I wish to ask you a few questions."

"I will answer them truly. The only wrong I have done was to conceal
what I thought there was no harm in concealing."

"It is not wise to do things in the dark."

"You will excuse me, sir, but you have done the same thing. If I had
known that your tin box was stolen, I should have understood several
things which are plain to me now."

"What, for instance?"

"If I had known it, I should have brought these bills to you as soon as
Laud paid them to me, to see if they be