re is another hide," said he. "Hand the axe again."

A piece of wood was soon forced out of the side of the beam next the
wall, and it was discovered that the beam itself was hollow. Nothing
was found in it, however, except a crumpled piece of paper.

"See here, there is writing on this," said Guy, picking up the paper
which Bax flung down. "It is a crabbed hand, but I think I can make it
out:--`Dear Bogue, you will find the tubs down Pegwell Bay, with the
sinkers on 'em; the rest of the swag in Fiddler's Cave.'"

"Humph! an old smuggler's letter," said Bax. "Mayhap the tubs and swag
are there yet!"

We may remark here, that, long after the events now related, Bax and Guy
remembered this note and visited the spots mentioned out of curiosity,
but neither "tubs" nor "swag" were found!

Quitting the room with heavy hearts, the two friends locked the door,
and went in search of those who are wont to perform the last offices to
the dead.

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE.

THE CONCLUSION.

There came a day at last when the rats in Redwharf Lane obtained an
entire holiday, doubtless to their own amazement, and revelled in almost
unmolested felicity from morning till night. The office of Denham,
Crumps, and Company was shut; the reason being that the head of the firm
was dead.

Mr Denham had died without a will.

At the time when Guy offended his uncle by expressing his opinion too
freely, Denham vowed in his heart that his nephew should not inherit his
business or fortune. He resolved to leave both to another nephew, the
son of a younger brother, at that time in the East India Company's
service. But as death was a contingency inconceivably remote from
himself, at least in his own opinion, he did not think it necessary to
make his will at that time. He died, therefore, as we have said,
without making it.

He died, also, without carrying out any of his good intentions!

It is a common mistake to suppose that a man has only to repent of his
evil deeds, and that thenceforth all will be plain sailing. The habits
of a lifetime are not to be overcome without a hard struggle, even in
the most sincere of Christians.

Denham, after being saved by the Ramsgate lifeboat, had made up his mind
to turn his wealth to good account, and, in his philanthropic plans, had
resolved to look with special favour on the Lifeboat Institution. But
he delayed to carry out these plans. He did not strike when the iron
was hot, and so the