e."

"What is it? what are you writing, Mr. Barth?" asked the young man.

Harvey opened the book at the blank leaf in the beginning, and turned it
towards his visitor.

"Harvey Barth. His diary," Leopold read. "I see; you keep a diary."

"I do. I wouldn't take a hundred dollars for that book, poor as I am,"
added Harvey, as he closed the volume and laid the pen on the table.

"Shall I put it away for you?" asked Leopold.

"No; thank you; I'll take care of it myself," he replied as he proceeded
to fold the book in its oil-cloth cover.

When Leopold had left the room, Harvey Barth enclosed the book in an old
newspaper, and, getting out of bed, thrust the package up the flue of
the little fireplace in the room, placing it on some projecting shelf or
jamb which he had discovered there. He was very careful of the book, and
seemed to be afraid some one might open it while he was asleep.
Doubtless the diary contained secrets he was not willing others should
discover; and certainly no one would think of looking in the flue of the
fireplace for it.

CHAPTER IV.

STUMPY AND OTHERS.

Harvey Barth seemed to be exceedingly well satisfied with himself after
he had finished the writing of his diary up to date. Possibly the fact
that he had not completed his account of the wreck of the Waldo had
troubled him, as any work left unfinished troubles a progressive or
conscientious man. But whether or not he had been disturbed about his
diary, he was happier than usual after he had completed the task. His
physical condition had been greatly improved under the careful nursing
of Mrs. Bennington. In the course of the afternoon not less than half a
dozen persons called to see him, and remained from five minutes to half
an hour, one of whom was connected with a newspaper in a city on the
bay, who was anxious to obtain a full and correct account of the loss
of the brig, which Harvey had not yet been able to furnish, even
verbally; but he promised to write out a full narrative for the
applicant, in preference to giving it by word of mouth.

Others who called upon him were friends of those lost in the Waldo, and
desired to obtain further particulars in regard to the catastrophe. But
the majority of those who visited the steward came only from mere
curiosity, or at best from motives of sympathy.

Harvey Barth, as the only survivor of that terrible disaster, was quite
a hero in Rockhaven. He had been mentioned in all the newspap