by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER II.
ABOUT THE TIN BOX.
Captain Patterdale worked with the doctor for a full hour upon poorMichael, who at the end of that time opened his eyes, and soon declaredthat he was "betther entirely." He insisted upon getting up, for it wasnot "the likes of himself that was to lay there and have his honorworkin' over him." But the doctor and the nabob pacified him, and lefthim, much improved, in the care of his wife.
"How is he, Dr. Wadman?" asked the sympathizing Nellie, as they camedown stairs together.
"He is decidedly better," replied the physician.
"Will he die?"
"O, no; I think not. His case looks very hopeful now."
"I thought folks always died with sun-stroke," said Nellie, morecheerfully.
"No; not unless their heads are very soft," laughed the doctor.
"Well, I shouldn't think Laud Cavendish would dare to go out when thesun shines," added the fair girl, with a snap of her bright eyes.
"It isn't quite safe for him to do so. Unfortunately, such people don'tknow their own heads. I will come in again after tea," said the doctor,as he went out of the house, at the front door; for he had not left hishat in the library.
"I am so glad Michael is better!" continued Nellie. "When I saw himdrop, I felt as cold as ice, and I was afraid I should drop too before Icould get to the library."
"Did you see him fall, Nellie?" asked her father.
"Yes; he gave a kind of groan, and then fell; he was--"
"Gracious!" exclaimed Captain Patterdale, interrupting her all of asudden.
He turned on his heel, and walked rapidly into the library. Nellie wasstartled, and was troubled with a suspicion that her father had a _coupde soleil_, or _coup de_ something-else; for he did not often doanything by fits and starts. She followed him into the library. It was afact that the captain had left his hat there; but it was not for thisarticle, so necessary in a hot day, that he hastened thus abruptly intothe room. Nellie found him flying around the apartment in a high stateof excitement for him. He was looking anxiously about, and seemed to bevery much disturbed.
"What in the world is the matter, father?" asked Nellie.
"Where is your mother?"
"She has gone over to Mrs. Rodman's."
"Hasn't she been back?"
"No, certainly not; I was just going over to tell her what had happenedto Michael, when you came down."
"Who has been in here, Nellie?"
"I don't know that anybody has. I haven't seen any one. What's thematter, father? what in the world has happened?"
"I left my tin box here when I went out to see to Michael, and now it isgone," answered Captain Patterdale, anxiously. "I didn't know but thatyour mother had come in and taken care of it."
"The tin box gone?" exclaimed Nellie. "Why, what can have become of it?"
"That is just what I should like to know," added the captain, as herenewed his search in the room for the treasure chest.
It was not in the library, and then he looked in the great hall and inthe little hall, in the drawing-room, the sitting-room, and thedining-room; but it was not in any of these. He knew he had left it onthe chair near where he was sitting when he went out of the room. Thenhe examined the spring-lock on the door of the library which led intothe side street. It was closed and securely fastened. The door shutitself with a patent invention, and when shut it locked itself, so thatanybody could get out, but no one could get in unless admitted.
"Where were you when I was up stairs, Nellie?" asked Captain Patterdale,as he seated himself in his arm-chair, to take a cool view of the wholesubject.
"I was in the hall most of the time," she replied.
"Who has been in the library?"
"Let me see; Laud Cavendish came down first, and went out through thelibrary."
The captain rubbed his bald head, and seemed to be asking himselfwhether it was possible for Mr. Laud Cavendish to do so wicked a deed asstealing that tin box. He did not believe the young swell had thebaseness or the daring to commit so great a crime. It might be, but hecould not think so.
"Who else has been in here?" he inquired, when he had hastily consideredall he knew about the moral character of Laud.
"That other man who was with you--I don't know his name--the one thatwas here when I came in with Don John."
"Mr. Hasbrook."
"He went out through the library. I thought he looked real ugly too,"added Nellie. "He kept fidgeting about all the time I was here."
"And all the time he was here himself. He went out through thelibrary--did he?"
"Yes, sir."
Captain Patterdale mentally overhauled the character of Mr. Hasbrook. Itwas unfortunate for his late debtor that his character was not firstclass, and between him and Laud Cavendish the probabilities werealtogether against Hasbrook. He had evidently been vexed and angrybecause he failed to carry his point, and his cupidity might have beenstimulated by revenge. But the captain was a fair and just man, and in amatter of this kind, involving the reputation of any person, he kept hissuspicions to himself.
"Who else has been in the library, Nellie?" he asked.
"No one but Don John," replied she. And whatever Laud or Hasbrook mighthave done in wickedness, Nellie had too much regard for her friend andschoolmate to admit for one instant the possibility of his doinganything wrong, much less his committing so gross a crime as thestealing of the tin box and its valuable contents.
Captain Patterdale was hardly less confident of the integrity of Donald.Certainly it was not necessary to suspect him when the possibilities ofguilt included two such persons as Laud and Hasbrook. Donald was ratherdistinguished, in school and out, as a good boy, and he ought to havethe full benefit of his reputation.
"You don't think Don John took the box--do you, father?" asked Nellie,as her father was meditating on the circumstances.
"Certainly not, Nellie," protested the captain, warmly; "I don't knowthat anybody has taken it."
"I know Don John would not do such a thing."
"I don't believe he would."
"I know he would not."
Her father thought she was just a little more earnest in heruncalled-for defence of the young man than was necessary, and for thefirst time in his life it occurred to him that she was more interestedin him than he wished her to be; for, as Donald was only the son of apoor boat-builder, such a strong friendship might be embarrassing in thefuture. However, this was only the shadow of a passing thought, whichdivided his attention only for a moment. The loss of the tin box was thequestion of the hour, and "society" topics were not just then in order.
"I have no idea that Don John took the box," replied Captain Patterdale."I am more willing to believe either of the other two who were in thelibrary took it than that he did. But he was the last of the three whowent out through this room. He may be able to give me some information,and I will go down and see him. He and his father were going off in thenew yacht--were they not?"
"Yes, sir."
"You need not say a word about the box to any one, Nellie, nor even thatit is lost," added the captain. "If I do not find it, I shall employ askilful detective to look it up, and he may prefer to work in the dark."
"I will not mention it, father," replied Nellie. "What was in the box?Was it money?"
"I put thirteen hundred and fifty dollars into it, but I took out twentyto pay the bill that Laud brought. It contains my deeds, leases,policies of insurance, and my notes, and these papers are really morevaluable to me than the money. Luckily, my bonds and securities are inanother box, in the vault of the bank."
"Then you will lose over thirteen hundred dollars if you don't find thebox?"
"More than that, I am afraid, for I shall hardly be able to collect allthe money due on the notes if I lose them," replied the captain, as heleft the house.
He walked down to the boat shop of Mr. Ramsay. It was on the shore, andnear it was the house in which the boat-builder lived. Neither Don Johnnor his father was at th
e shop, but a sloop yacht, half a mile out inthe bay, seemed to be the Sea Foam. She was headed towards the shore,however, and Captain Patterdale seated himself in the shade of the shopto await its arrival, though he hardly expected to obtain anyinformation in regard to the box from Donald. While he was sittingthere, Mr. Laud Cavendish appeared with a large basket in his hand. Thecounter-jumper started when he turned the corner of the shop, and sawthe nabob seated there.
"Going a-fishing?" asked the captain.
"Yes, sir; I'm going over to Turtle Head to camp out over Sunday,"replied Laud. "How is Michael, sir?"
"He is much better, and is doing very well."
"I'm glad of it," added Laud, as he carried his basket down to asail-boat which was partly aground, and deposited it in the forwardcuddy.
Captain Patterdale wanted to talk with Laud, but he did not like toexcite any suspicions on his part. If the young man had taken the boxhe would not be likely to go off on an island to stay over Sunday.Besides, it was evident from the position of the boat, and the fact thatit contained several articles necessary for a fishing excursion, inaddition to those in the basket, that Laud had made his arrangements forthe trip before he visited the library of the elegant mansion. If he hadtaken the box, he would probably have changed his plans. It was notlikely, therefore, that Laud was the guilty party.
"Are you going alone?" asked the captain, walking down the beach to theboat.
"Yes, sir; I couldn't get any one to go with me. I tried Don John, buthe won't go off to stay over Sunday," replied Laud, with a sickly grin.
"I commend his example to you. I don't think it is a good way to spendSunday."
"It's the only time I can get to go. I've been trying to got off for amonth."
"Saturday must be a bad time for you to leave," suggested the captain.
"It is rather bad," added Laud, as he shoved off the bow of the boat,for he seemed to be in haste to get away.
"By the way, Laud, did you notice a tin box in my library when you werethere this afternoon?" asked the nabob, with as much indifference in hismanner and tone as he could command.
"A tin box?" repeated Laud, busying himself with the jib of thesail-boat.
"Yes; it was painted green."
"I don't remember any box," answered Laud.
"Didn't you see it? I opened it to take out the money I paid you."
"I didn't mind. I was receipting the bill while you were getting themoney ready. You know I sat down at your desk."
"Yes; I know you did; but didn't you see the box?"
"No, sir; I don't remember seeing any box," said Laud, still fussingover the sail, which certainly did not need any attention.
"You went out through the library when you came down from Michael'sroom--didn't you?" continued the captain.
"Yes, sir; I did. I left my hat in there."
"Did you see the box then?"
"Of course I didn't. If I had, I should have remembered it," repliedLaud, with a grin. "I just grabbed my hat, and ran, for I had been inthe house some time; and I got a blessing for being away so long when Iwent back to the store."
"You didn't see the box, then?"
"If it was there, I suppose I saw it; but I didn't take any notice ofit. Why? is the box lost?"
"I want to get another like it. Haven't you anything of the sort in thestore?"
"We have some cake and spice boxes. They are tin, and painted on theoutside."
"Those will not answer the purpose. It's a very hot day," added thecaptain, as he wiped the perspiration from his face, and walked back tothe shade of the shop.
Mr. Laud Cavendish stepped into the sail-boat, hoisted the sails, andshoved her off into deep water with an oar. Captain Patterdale thought,and then he did not know what to think. Was it possible Laud had notnoticed that tin box, which had been on a chair out in the middle ofthe room? If he had not, why, then he had not; but if he had Laud hadmore cunning, more self-control, and more ingenuity than the captain hadever given him the credit, or the discredit, of possessing, for therewas certainly no sign of guilt in his tone or his manner, except that hedid not look the inquirer square in the face when he answered hisquestions, though some guilty people can even do this without wincing.
Captain Patterdale watched the departing and the approaching boats,still considering the possible relation of Laud Cavendish to the tinbox. If the fellow had stolen it, he would not go off on an island tostay over Sunday, leaving the box behind to betray him; and thisargument seemed to be conclusive in his favor. The captain had lookedinto the boat, and satisfied himself that the box was not there; unlessit was in the basket, which appeared to contain so many other thingsthat there was no room for it. On the whole, the captain was willing toacquit Mr. Laud Cavendish of the act, partly, perhaps, because this hadbeen his first view of the matter. It was more probable that Hasbrook,angry and disappointed at his failure, had put the box into his wagon,and returned to the neighboring town, where, as before stated, hisreputation was not first class, though, perhaps, not many peoplebelieved him capable of stealing outright, without the formality ofgetting up a mining company, or making a trade of some sort. But Donaldhad been the last of the trio of visitors who passed through thelibrary, and the captain wanted to see him.
The Sea Foam, with snowy sails just from the loft, and glittering in herfreshly-laid coat of white paint, ran up to a wharf just below the boatshop. Donald was at the helm, and he threw her up into the wind justbefore she came to the pier, so that when she forged ahead, with hersails shaking in the wind, her head came up within a few inches of thelanding-place. Mr. Ramsay fended her off, and went ashore with a line inhis hand, which he made fast to a ring. Captain Patterdale walked aroundto the wharf, as soon as he saw where she was to make a landing.
"Well, how do you like her, Sam?" said Donald to a young man of his ownage in the standing-room with him.
"First rate; and I hope your father will go to work on mine at once,"replied the passenger.
"You will lay down the keel on Monday--won't you, father?"
"What?" asked Mr. Ramsay, who had seated himself on a log on the wharf.
"You will lay down the keel of the boat for Mr. Rodman on Monday--won'tyou?" repeated Donald.
"Yes, if I am able; I don't feel very well to-day." And the boat-builderdoubled himself up, as though he was in great pain.
The young man in the standing-room of the Sea Foam was Samuel Rodman, aschoolmate of Donald, whose father was a wealthy man, and had orderedanother boat like the Skylark, which had been the model for the newyacht. He had come down to see the craft, and had been invited to take asail in her; but an engagement had prevented him from going as far asTurtle Head, and the boat-builder and his son had returned to land him,intending still to make the trip. By this time Captain Patterdale hadreached the end of the wharf. He went on board of the Sea Foam, andlooked her over with a critical eye, and was entirely satisfied withher. He was invited to sail in her for as short a time as he chose, buthe declined.
"By the way, Donald, did you see the green tin box when you were in mylibrary this afternoon?" he asked, when all the topics relating to theyacht had been disposed of.
"Yes, sir; I saw you take some money from it," replied Donald.
"Then you remember the box?"
"Yes, sir."
"Did you notice it when you came out--I mean, when you left the house?"
"I don't remember seeing it when I came out," answered Donald, wonderingwhat these questions meant.
"I want to get another box just like that one. Did you take particularnotice of it?"
"No, sir; I can't say I did."
"You didn't stay any time in the library after you came down fromMichael's room, did you?"
"No, sir; I only went for my hat, and didn't stay there a minute."
"And you didn't notice the tin box?"
"No, sir; I didn't see it at all when I came out."
"Then of course you didn't see any marks upon it," added the captain,with a smi
le.
"If I didn't see the box, I shouldn't have been likely to see themarks," laughed Donald. "What marks were they, sir?"
"It's of no consequence, if you didn't see them. The box was in thelibrary--wasn't it?--when you went out."
"I don't know whether it was or not. I only know that I don't remembernoticing it," said Donald, who thought the captain's question was a veryqueer one, after those he had just answered.
The nabob was no better satisfied with Donald's answers than he had beenwith those of Laud Cavendish, except that the former looked him full inthe face when he spoke. He obtained no information, and went home toseek it at other sources.
"I think I won't go out again, Donald," said Mr. Ramsay, when CaptainPatterdale had left. "I don't feel very well, and you may go alone."
"Do you feel very sick, father?" asked the son, in tones of sympathy.
"No; but I think I will go into the house and take some medicine. Youcan run over to Turtle Head alone," added the boat-builder, as he walkedtowards the house.
"Can't you go any how, Sam?" said Donald, turning to his friend.
"No, I must go home now. I have to drive over to Searsport after mysister," replied Sam, as he left the yacht, and walked up the wharf.
Donald hoisted the jib of the Sea Foam, shoved off her head, and laidher course, with the wind over the quarter, for Turtle Head--distantabout seven miles.
