l
down some trunk similar to it in looks and stand it in its place. Give
the new trunk my mark, as the chief has already read the name on the
trunk. Go, Quin; I rely on you."

"You can trust me, my boy," retorted Quin cheerfully, and turning on
his heel, he was back on the wharf in a moment, and apparently busy
about the pile of baggage.

Suddenly there came a mighty uproar aboard ship. Lorns and the Swiss,
the latter already irate over some trouble he had experienced, were
rolling about the deck in a most violent scrimmage, the Swiss having
decidedly the worst of the trouble. The chief rushed up the plank;
Lorns and the descendant of Tell and Winkelried, were torn apart; and
then a double din of explanation ensued. After ten minutes, the chief
was able to straighten out the difficulty--whatever its pretended
cause might be I know not; for I held myself warily aloof, not a
little alarmed by what Lorns had communicated--and repaired again to
his station upon the wharf. As he came down the plank, Quin, who had
not been a moment behind him in going aboard to discover the reasons
of the riot, followed. Brief as was that moment, however, during which
Quin had lingered behind, he had made the shift suggested by Lorns;
the silk trunk was under the river, a strange trunk stood in its
stead. As the chief returned, he walked straight to this suspected
trunk and tipped it down with his foot. Then to Quin:

"Ask Lorns to step here."

Quin went questing after Lorns; shortly Lorns and Quin came back
together. The chief turned in a brisk, sharp, official way to Lorns:

"Did you inspect this trunk?"

"I did," said Lorns, looking at the chalk marks as if to make sure.

"Open it!"

No keys were procurable; the owners, Lorns said, had long since left
the docks. But Lorns suggested that he get hammer and cold chisel from
the ship.

The trunk was opened and found free and innocent of aught contraband.
The chief wore a puzzled, dark look; he felt that he'd been cheated,
but he couldn't say how. Therefore being wise, the chief gulped, said
nothing, and as life is short and he had many things to do, soon
after left the docks and went his way.

"That was a squeak!" said Lorns when we were at last free of the
dangerous chief. "Quin, I thank you."

"That's all right," retorted Quin, with a grin; "do as much for me
some time."

That night, with the aid of a river rat, our trunk, jettisoned by the
excellent Quin, was fished up; and