in a jovial voice, "Well,
sir, here I am, just come ashore, and visiting you before my very wife;
what d'ye think of that?"

Hardie stared, and remained on his guard, puzzled; while David Dodd
showed his pocket-book, and in the pride of his heart, and the fever in
his blood--for there were two red spots on his cheeks all the time--told
the cold pair its adventures in a few glowing words; the Calcutta
firm--the two pirates--the hurricane--the wrecks, the land-sharks he had
saved it from. "And here it is safe, in spite of them all, and you must
be good enough to take care of it for me."

He then opened the pocket-book, and Mr. Hardie ran over the notes and
bills, and said the amount was L14,010 12s. 6d.

Dodd asked for a receipt, and while it was written poor Dodd's heart
overflowed.

"It's my children's fortune, you see; I don't look on a sixpence of it
as mine. It belongs to my little Julia, bless her, she's a rosebud if
ever there was one; and my boy Edward, he's the honestest young chap you
ever saw; but how could they miss either good looks or good hearts, and
her children? Here's a Simple Simon vaunting his own flesh and blood,
but you know how it is with us fathers; our hearts are so full of the
little darlings, out it must come. You can imagine how joyful I feel at
saving their fortune from land-sharks, and landing it safe in an honest
man's hands."

Skinner gave him the receipt.

"All right, little gentleman; now my heart is relieved of such a weight.
Good-bye, shake hands. God bless you! God bless you both!" And with this
he was out and making ardently for Albion Villa.

* * * * *

Ten minutes later the door burst open, and David Dodd stood on the
threshold, looking terrible. He seemed black and white with anger and
anxiety. Making a great effort to control his agitation, he said, "I
have changed my mind, sir; I want my money back."

Mr. Hardie said faintly, "Certainly; may I ask----"

"No matter," cried Dodd. "Come! My money! I must and will have it."

Hardie drew himself up majestically; and Dodd said, "Well, I beg your
pardon, but I can't help it!"

The banker's mind went into a whirl. It was death to part with this
money and get nothing by it. He made excuses. Dodd eyed him sternly, and
said quietly, "So you can't give me my money because your cashier has
carried it away. It is not in this room, then?"

"No."

"What, not in that safe there?"

"Certainly not,