ight now, Ericson, my lad. I wanted but to save ye frae
makin' a fule o' yersel, like Carver Kinlay's lad."

"Why," I said, "Kinlay has made a very good bargain, has he not?"

"Simpleton!" said the skipper. "Ye didna hear what yon Dutch sailor
said to the auld Jew, eh?"

"I heard, captain, but of course I didna understand," I said.

"Weel, my lad, I understood," said he. "The Dutchman asked him what
kind o' gem it was he had gotten frae the boy.

"'It's a ruby,' said the Jew.

"'Oho!'said the Dutchman. 'It's a rare big one, though. How muckle
might ye be expectin' to get for it across the water--a couple o'
hundred?'

"Then the auld Jew gave the Dutchman a wink, and said, 'Maybe a
thousand dollars, mynheer.'

"So ye see, Ericson, if the auld swindler could count upon gettin',
let us say, two hundred pounds English for the stone over in
Amsterdam, ye can hardly say that young Kinlay got a big price
for't, can ye?"

I was astounded at this information. Such unfairness appeared to my
boyish mind as criminal in the extreme. But a wider knowledge of
the world has since taught me that in commercial transactions
things are not always bought and sold at their proper value.

I thanked my skipper friend, while telling him that I had myself
had no intention of dealing with the merchant.

Scarcely had I left Mr. Flett two minutes before I heard someone
walking hurriedly behind me. I was quickly overtaken by old Isaac
and Tom Kinlay.

"Ericson," said Tom with a friendly tone in his voice, as though we
had never quarrelled. "Let the old man hae a sight o' that thing
ye've got round yer neck, will ye?"

I put my hands in my trousers pockets, and made no reply.

"I gif you tree shilling for it," said the Jew.

"Keep your dirty money, sir," I said, turning on my heel.

Then, as though he did not wish Kinlay to overhear his offer, he
followed me, taking me by the sleeve:

"Ah! mine friend," he said coaxingly, "I see you know wot it is.
Very well, den, I gif you a sovereign."

"A sovereign!" I exclaimed aloud.

And Kinlay, who had now come up to us, opened his eyes in surprise.

"Take the money, man," he urged.

"Nay, nay," I said. "If you like to give the value of two hundred
pounds in exchange for ten guineas, I am certainly not so green.
Besides, ye ken weel enough that those things were not rightly
yours. Mr. Drever has told you that."

He did not appear to notice the latter part of what I said.

"Two hu