re. What is he? Cook? Or waiter?"

"Oh, Schwartz isn't a servant, old fellow. He helps entertain the
guests."

"Sings, I suppose."

Carl did not reply, and Deal set Schwartz down as a lager-beer-hall
ballad-singer, borne southward on the tide of winter travel to Florida.
One advantage at least was gained--when Schwartz was there, Carl was
less tempted by the swamp.

And now, a third time, the guest came. During the first evening of this
third visit, he was so good-tempered, so frankly lazy and amusing, that
even Deal was disarmed. "He's a good-for-nothing, probably; but there's
no active harm in him," he said to himself.

The second evening was a repetition of the first.

When he came home at sunset on the third evening, Carl was lying coiled
up close to the wall of the house, his face hidden in his arms.

"What are you doing there?" said Deal, as he passed by, on his way to
put up the tools.

No answer. But Carl had all kinds of whims, and Deal was used to them.
He went across to Scip's chimney.

"Awful time, cap'en," said the old negro, in a low voice. "Soon's you's
gone, dat man make young marse drink, and bot' begin to holler and
fight."

"Drink? They had no liquor."

"Yes, dey hab. Mus' hab brought 'em 'long."

"Where is the man?"

"Oh, he gone long ago--gone at noon."

Deal went to his brother. "Carl," he said, "get up. Dinner is ready."
But the coiled form did not stir.

"Don't be a fool," continued Deal. "I know you've been drinking; Scip
told me. It's a pity. But no reason why you should not eat."

Carl did not move. Deal went off to his dinner, and sent some to Carl.
But the food remained untasted. Then Deal passed into the house to get
some tobacco for his pipe. Then a loud cry was heard. The hiding-place
which his Yankee fingers had skillfully fashioned in the old wall had
been rifled; all his money was gone. No one knew the secret of the spot
but Carl.

"Did he overpower you and take it?" he asked, kneeling down and lifting
Carl by force, so that he could see his face.

"No; I gave it to him," Carl answered, thickly and slowly.

"You _gave_ it to him?"

"I lost it--at cards."

"_Cards_!"

Deal had never thought of that. All at once the whole flashed upon him:
the gambler who was always "around" with the "orchestra fellows"; the
"restaurant" at San Miguel where he helped "entertain" the guests; the
probability that business was slack in the ancient little town,
unaccustomed to