of possible salvage.

His strong-box stood in a recess by the chimnney-breast. A stuffed
gannet in a glass case surmounted it--a present from 'Bias, who had shot
the bird. The bird's life-like eye (of yellow glass) seemed to watch
him as he thrust the key into the lock.

He took out the parcel, laid it on the table under the lamp, and--with
scarcely a glance at the docket as he untied the tape--spread out the
papers with his palm much as a card-player spreads wide a pack of cards
before cutting. . . . He picked up a bond, opened it, ran his eye over
the superscription and tossed it aside.

So he did with a second--a third--a fourth.

On a sudden, as he took up the fifth and, before opening it, glanced at
the writing on the outside, his gaze stiffened. He sat upright.

After a moment or two he unfolded the paper. His eyes sought and found
two words--the name "Tobias Hunken."

He turned the papers over again. Still the name not his--"Tobias
Hunken!"

He pushed the paper from him, and timorously, as a man possessed by
superstitious awe, put out his fingers and drew forward under the
lamplight the four documents already cast aside.

The name on each was the same. The bonds belonged to 'Bias.
By mistake, those months ago, he had carried them off and locked them up
for his own.

Should he arouse 'Bias to-night and tell him of the good news?
He gathered up the bonds in his hand, went to the front door, unbarred
it, and stepped out into the roadway. Not a light showed anywhere in
the next house.

Cai stepped back, barred the door, and sought his chamber, after putting
out the lamp. He slept as soundly as a child.

CHAPTER XXVI.

'BIAS RENOUNCES.

"Is Cap'n Hunken upstairs?"

"Ay, ay, sir," answered Mr Tabb from behind his pile of biscuit tins and
soapboxes. The pile had grown--or so it seemed to Cai--and blocked out
more of the daylight than ever. "Won't you step up? You'll be kindly
welcome."

"I was told I should find him here." Cai, on requesting Mrs Bowldler
that morning to inform him how soon Captain Hunken would be finishing
breakfast, had been met with the information that Captain Hunken had
breakfasted an hour before, and gone out. ("Which," said Mrs Bowldler,
"it becomes not one in my position to carry tales between one
establishment and another: but he bent his steps in the direction of the
town. I beg, sir, however, that you will consider this to be strickly
between you and m