s, and Mr. Brooks hastened on shore, so that Ben
Chinks should not recognize him.

"Say, Bob, where'd ye get this boat?" asked Ben, stepping upon the deck
of the Skylark.

"She don't belong to me," replied Bobtail.

"Don't you know the boat?" inquired Mr. Hines.

"Don't I know her?" repeated Ben.

"That's the question I asked."

"I cal'late I've seen her before; because she came into Bar Harbor about
ten days ago," replied Ben, cautiously.

"Exactly so," added the custom-house detective; "she was sold, and your
uncle or father bought her."

"Who told you all that?" asked Ben; and he did not seem to know whether
or not to admit the truth of the statement.

The detective whistled and looked about him as though he did not care
whether Captain Chinks bought her or not.

"Your uncle bought her dog cheap, too. I think Captain Chinks is a smart
man," added Mr. Hines.

"He's some," grinned Ben.

"But you and he drank a little too much of that liquor."

[Illustration]

"What liquor? I don't drink liquor."

"You might as well own up. Captain Chinks and you were a little boozy
that day."

"What day?"

"Why, that day you sailed this boat up the bay."

"I didn't drink a drop," protested Ben, warmly.

"Then your uncle drank enough for both of you."

"No, he didn't, nuther. I didn't see him drink anything."

"Ah, it's no use to deny it," laughed Mr. Hines, as though he was only
indulging in a pleasantry.

"I wouldn't deny it if it was true; but it ain't."

"How did the boat get adrift, then?" queried Mr. Hines. "Both of you
must have been a little set up."

"Not a bit."

"The boat wouldn't have got adrift if you had either of you been all
right."

"Both of us were as straight as a gun."

"How did it happen, then?"

"It was blowing like Sam Hill, that day, you see--didn't Captain Chinks
tell you about it?"

"He didn't say you were both sober."

"Well, I was; and if he drank anything that day, I didn't see him do
it,' persisted Ben.

"But what in the world did you want to land your stuff in that place
for?"

"What place? What stuff?" demanded Ben.

"Those cases of brandy, of course. It's all right, my man. Captain
Chinks will be down here to-morrow. Little Bobtail here picked up the
yacht, and took her into Camden. The stuff was all landed in the night,
so that only two or three persons know anything about it--Little
Bobtail, myself, and a friend of mine."

"Who is he?"

"He's a friend