our,
when Mr. Hobart was called in to receive some instructions with
reference to the disposition of the black bag. But just as Mr.
Drummond was about to give them, a shout of "Fire" came suddenly up
from the wharf, and there was a rush of men towards the end of the line
of warehouses.

Now, it chanced that in one of the warehouses was stored a quantity of
powder awaiting shipment on the blockade-runner, and at the thought of
this danger, Mr. Drummond, springing up in great alarm, thrust the bag
into his desk, locked it up, and directing Mr. Hobart to remain in the
office, hurried out, followed by the other three.

The fire proved to be rather a serious one, which took a couple of
hours to entirely master, but happily it did not reach the building
where the powder was stored. When the peril had altogether passed, and
Mr. Drummond, very much wearied by the excitement and exertion,
returned to the office, it was long beyond the usual time for closing;
so, ordering a cab, he drove off home without another thought in regard
to the black bag, which, in view of its contents, ought to have been
locked up in the safe.

From his place in the outer office, Terry had got a glimpse of the bag,
and of how it had been put away, and in the talk he had with his mother
every night before going to bed he told her about it.

"Faith and it looked as if it might have a heap of money in it," he
concluded; "those great big gold pieces you know, mother, good for
twenty dollars every one of them, like them blockade-runners have in
their pockets. Man dear, but they are beauties!" and his eyes opened
wide with admiration and longing.

As he finished speaking, a movement at the door behind the two rooms
caused him to turn round, and he saw his father, whom he had supposed
to be sound asleep in the other room, standing in the doorway with a
strange look in his eyes that Terry recalled afterwards with a sharp
thrill of apprehension. Evidently Black Mike had been listening to the
talk, and understood its purport. He made no remark, however, but
after standing there in silence for a moment, wheeled about and went
back to bed.

The next morning, shortly after Mr. Drummond's arrival at the office,
there were indications of some unusual occurrence having taken place.
The partners were seen to be in anxious consultation, and presently Mr.
Hobart was called in to their sanctum. He came out shortly with a very
troubled countenance, and Terry v