st have sent on afterward from England?"

"There was nothing sent on afterward," replied Mr. Reed, with a stunned
look; but in an instant, he turned his eyes full upon Slade, causing the
miserable creature to cringe before him:

"If you had the soul of a man, I could wish for your sake that something
belonging to the lost baby had been saved; but there was nothing. My
sister was not herself when she wrote that letter. She was frantic with
grief and trouble, else she would have known that I would forgive and
cherish her. And now, sir, if you are satisfied, I bid you good
evening!"

"I am _not_ satisfied," said Eben doggedly. "There's more to be settled
yet. Where is the man who saw the shipwreck?"

Mr. Reed opened the window. Seizing something that hung there, he blew a
shrill whistle, then lowered the sash and sat down.

Neither spoke a word. Quick steps sounded upon the stairs. The door
opened.

"Ay, ay, Capt'n!" said Jack. Nero stood beside him, growling.

CHAPTER XI.

JACK.

JACK and Nero entered the library, where Mr. Reed and Eben Slade sat
waiting.

The entrance of the sailor-coachman had a peculiar effect upon Eben
Slade. It gave him a drowsy appearance. Some men have that look when
they are specially on their guard.

"Did you want me, Capt'n?" asked Jack, after standing a few seconds and
receiving no orders.

"No; _I_ want you," spoke up Eben Slade, in a bold yet uneasy tone.
"Let's see if you can answer a few plain questions."

Jack glanced inquiringly at Mr. Reed; then, brightening, replied to
Slade as to one not at all worthy of his respect:

"Questions? P'raps. Reel 'em out."

It was plain from the start that, if the sailor-coachman could have his
own way, Eben Slade would get but little information out of him. He had
despised the fellow as a "skulker," from the moment he had seen him
sneaking about the grounds like a spy, as he truly suspected him to be.

"So," began the questioner grandly, as if to awe his man into a becoming
deference, "you are the person who, according to Mr. Reed, rescued the
twins? How--I mean in what way, by what means--did you save them?"

"Mostly by tryin', your honor," replied Jack, sullenly.

Eben Slade looked vexed, but he returned blandly:

"Undoubtedly so. But I want the details of the saving. Let us hear from
the beginning."

"There warn't any beginning," growled Jack. "The first we knew about it,
it was all over."

"Well, but you had some p