office, looking over some
papers.

"Nat thinks you have something that belonged to his father," said Mr.
Weatherby, pleasantly.

"He does, eh?" snapped the mate. "Well, he's mistaken, that's all I've
got to say. Now I wish you'd get out of here. I'm busy."

"But it won't do any harm to make some inquiries," went on the pilot.
"Do you mind showing me the pocketbook?"

"There it is!" said Mr. Bumstead suddenly, pulling the wallet in
question from his pocket. "He said it had his father's name on? Well,
it hasn't, you can see for yourself," and he quickly turned the
pocketbook from side to side, to show that there were no letters on
it. Then, without giving Mr. Weatherby a chance to look at it
closely, he thrust it back into his pocket.

"Are you satisfied?" he demanded. Nat hesitated.

"I--I suppose so," answered the pilot. "There is no name on that. Nat
must have been mistaken."

"I told him he was dreaming," answered the mate, with a leer. "Now
don't bother me again."

"Are you sure you saw the name on that pocketbook?" asked Mr.
Weatherby of Nat when they were out on the main deck.

"Positive."

"Perhaps it was some other wallet."

"No, it's the same one. I can tell because there's a dark spot on one
corner, where it got some oil on once, dad told me."

"But his name is not on it," remarked the pilot. "I had a good enough
look at it to determine that."

"I can't account for it," went on Nat, more puzzled than ever. He knew
he had seen the name, yet now, when he had another sight of the
wallet, it had disappeared. And no wonder, for the mate had done his
work well, and had so smoothed down the leather, where he had scraped
off the letters, that it needed a close inspection to disclose it.
This close inspection Mr. Bumstead was determined neither Nat nor the
pilot should make.

Though he said nothing to Nat about it, Mr. Weatherby had some
suspicions concerning the mate. For a long time he had distrusted the
man, but this was because of certain things that had occurred aboard
the _Jessie Drew_. Now there was something else. Mr. Weatherby
questioned Nat closely as to the incidents connected with Mr. Morton's
death. When he had learned all he could he remained a few moments in
deep thought. Then he said:

"Well, Nat, don't think any more about it. It is very possible you
were mistaken about the pocketbook. That form of wallet is not
uncommon, and of course there are lots of men with the same name your