more. For presently the
two men, so different in culture, station and appearance, came, as it
seemed, to an understanding, and Wellgood, taking his hand from his
breast, fumbled in one of his pockets and drew out something which he
handed to Mr. Grey.

This made Sweetwater start and peer with still greater anxiety at every
movement, when to his surprise both bent forward, each over his own
knee, doing something so mysterious he could get no clue to its nature
till they again stretched forth their hands to each other and he caught
the gleam of paper and realized that they were exchanging memoranda or
notes.

These must have been important, for each made an immediate endeavor
to read his slip by turning it toward the moon's rays. That both were
satisfied was shown by their after movements. Wellgood put his slip into
his pocket, and without further word to Mr. Grey motioned his men to row
away. They did so with a will, leaving a line of silver in their wake.
Mr. Grey, on the contrary, gave no orders. He still held his slip and
seemed to be dreaming. But his eye was on the shore, and he did not even
turn when sounds from the launch denoted that she was under way.

Sweetwater; looking at this morsel of paper with greedy eyes, dipped his
oars and began pulling softly toward that portion of the beach where
a small and twinkling light defined the boat-house. He hoped Mr. Grey
would speak, hoped that in some way, by some means, he might obtain a
clue to his patron's thoughts. But the English gentleman sat like
an image and did not move till a slight but sudden breeze, blowing
in-shore, seized the paper in his hand and carried it away, past
Sweetwater, who vainly sought to catch it as it went fluttering by, into
the water ahead, where it shone for a moment, then softly disappeared.

Sweetwater uttered a cry, so did Mr. Grey.

"Is it anything you wanted?" called out the former, leaning over the bow
of the boat and making a dive at the paper with his oar.

"Yes; but if it's gone, it's gone," returned the other with some
feeling. "Careless of me, very careless,--but I was thinking of--"

He stopped; he was greatly agitated, but he did not encourage Sweetwater
in any further attempts to recover the lost memorandum. Indeed, such
an effort would have been fruitless; the paper was gone, and there was
nothing left for them but to continue their way. As they did so it
would have been hard to tell in which breast chagrin mounted hig