head, and traced out with his fore-finger the
words, "_poor father's five hundred pounds_," in the written paper.

"Go along," said the captain. "Five hundred pounds? Yes?"

"That sum of money," pursued the young fisherman, entering with the
greatest earnestness on his demonstration, while the captain eyed him
with equal earnestness, "was all my late father possessed. When he died,
he owed no man more than he left means to pay, but he had been able to
lay by only five hundred pounds."

"Five hundred pounds," repeated the captain. "Yes?"

"In his lifetime, years before, he had expressly laid the money aside to
leave to my mother,--like to settle upon her, if I make myself
understood."

"Yes?"

"He had risked it once--my father put down in writing at that time,
respecting the money--and was resolved never to risk it again."

"Not a spectator," said the captain. "My country wouldn't have suited
him. Yes?"

"My mother has never touched the money till now. And now it was to have
been laid out, this very next week, in buying me a handsome share in our
neighbouring fishery here, to settle me in life with Kitty."

The captain's face fell, and he passed and repassed his sun-browned right
hand over his thin hair, in a discomfited manner.

"Kitty's father has no more than enough to live on, even in the sparing
way in which we live about here. He is a kind of bailiff or steward of
manor rights here, and they are not much, and it is but a poor little
office. He was better off once, and Kitty must never marry to mere
drudgery and hard living."

The captain still sat stroking his thin hair, and looking at the young
fisherman.

"I am as certain that my father had no knowledge that any one was wronged
as to this money, or that any restitution ought to be made, as I am
certain that the sun now shines. But, after this solemn warning from my
brother's grave in the sea, that the money is Stolen Money," said Young
Raybrock, forcing himself to the utterance of the words, "can I doubt it?
Can I touch it?"

"About not doubting, I ain't so sure," observed the captain; "but about
not touching--no--I don't think you can."

"See then," said Young Raybrock, "why I am so grieved. Think of Kitty.
Think what I have got to tell her!"

His heart quite failed him again when he had come round to that, and he
once more beat his sea-boot softly on the floor. But not for long; he
soon began again, in a quietly resolute tone.