"Well, you don't say that you guess so! That's what I meant to say,"
explained the toper.

"The talk I had with your boy satisfied me I wasn't far from right. Now,
the brandy's worth more than the boat. I'm always up to a trade, you
know; and I didn't know but I might make something. I asked your boy if
he would give up the cargo and keep the boat, in case I could find the
owner."

"Sho! Did you know the owner, cap'n?"

"Of course I didn't. I haven't the least idea who he is. Your boy
wouldn't give up the cargo and keep the boat."

"That boy's a fool, and allus was."

"I thought, if I could get hold of the cargo, I could make something out
of it. Perhaps you and I can now;" and the captain looked sharply into
the toper's face.

"I'm ready," replied Ezekiel, who was now considerably "boozed."

"Bobtail must have landed that cargo somewhere, and concealed it;
perhaps on some island; may be in your house. I say, Zeke, can you keep
a quiet tongue in your head?"

"I cal'late I can."

Captain Chinks enlarged on this point, and the toper promised to be as
silent as the grave.

"Now, I reckon you can find this brandy. I suppose it was brandy, but I
don't know. If it was, it comes in cases."

"Yes, I know," added Ezekiel, eagerly; and he wished he might get hold
of that brandy; if he did, Captain Chinks would not get the whole of
it.

"If you keep an eye on the boy, you can easily find it. The boat was
seen at anchor early in the morning after he picked her up, and I'm
pretty sure he has hid the goods somewhere about your house. If you find
them, just let me know, and I'll give you a case of the brandy, and a
hundred dollars besides. Will you do it, Zeke?"

"If it don't b'long to you, I don't see why I should give it up to you."

This was a brilliant idea on the part of the toper, and Captain Chinks
could not help acknowledging the force of it.

"You can't do anything with it. The government will take it away from
you. You see, I mean to make a trade with the owner of the goods. It is
no more than fair that he should have his own property, if he will pay
you and me for our trouble. Take something, Zeke."

The toper drank again, and then Captain Chinks made him a present of
what was left in the bottle. Ezekiel agreed to do all that was required
of him, and his companion cautioned him not to say a word to Bobtail
about it, but only to watch him. They separated, and the inebriate
staggered to his home.