the
auctioneer's receipt from his pocket. "I shall prove to you that she is
mine, and without saying another word."

Dory handed the receipt to Corny, and said nothing more. The sceptic
read the paper out loud, and of course that settled the question. There
was no room for a doubt after the reading of the receipt.

"Forty-two dollars!" exclaimed Corny, as he handed the receipt back to
the skipper. "Judging by the cost of the Letitia, she ought to be worth
four or five hundred dollars."

"Forty-two dollars is nothing for a boat like this," added Dick Short,
whose mother was worth money, and therefore he had less respect for
forty-two dollars than most of the other members.

"But where did you get the forty-two dollars?" asked Thad, who had
hardly ever possessed even half a dime at one time.

"Haven't I proved that the Goldwing is mine?" demanded Dory rather
warmly; for he did not want his fellow-members of the Goldwing Club
skirmishing about in the region of the great secret of his lifetime.
"All I have to say about it is, that I came honestly by the money, and I
don't want any more questions asked."

Dory Dornwood, though he was rather wild, scorned to invent a lie to
explain where the money came from, as perhaps some of his companions
might have done under similar circumstances.

The other members of the Goldwing Club looked at one another; and Nat
Long winked at Corny Minkfield, as much as to say "There is a cat in the
meal somewhere." After the imperative warning from the skipper that
nothing more was to be said about the forty-two dollars, no more
questions were asked; but it was evident that the members all kept up a
tremendous thinking on the subject. But even this matter became stale in
a few minutes in the excitement of the hour.

"Forty-two dollars is dirt cheap for a boat like the Goldwing," said
Dory, breaking the silence. "I have no doubt she cost four or five
hundred dollars; but I ought to tell you that she has a bad name."

"A bad name! The Goldwing?" exclaimed Thad; and all of the party seemed
to think it quite impossible that such a splendid boat as the Goldwing
could have any thing but a first-class reputation.

"She drowned the man that owned her. She upset, and then went to the
bottom. Now, if any of you want to go on shore, you can."

The members of the Goldwing Club looked aghast at one another.

CHAPTER IX.

A WEATHER HELM AND A LEE HELM.

"Is the Goldwing in the habit of