eak hatch had been off, and Nannie, accustomed to go wherever she
pleased, strayed into the darkness and tumbled down. The incident
stopped all work for a time, and created a lot of good-humoured chaff.
The Irishman was especially droll, and endeavoured to carry it off by
swearing he knew it was the goat, but he wanted some other fellow to
have a go at it. "But no fear," said he; "every one of them was dying
with funk."

After a time the captain thought it right to disillusion the officer
in charge, and going up to him asked the meaning of the raid.

"Well," replied the officer, "we have information that there is a
large quantity of tobacco aboard, and that some of it is in the
forepeak, but most of it is about a couple of feet below the iron
ore."

The captain replied, "We had a lot of it a few days since, but there
is not a leaf aboard now that I know of. Every particle has been
thrown overboard. Let me reassure you on this point."

"But," said the officer, "what about the packing? My men have come
across a large quantity."

"That is very true," said the commander; "the packing is the only
thing we saved. Now get your men ashore, there's a good fellow. You
are only working them to death for no earthly reason."

"But the sailors say the tobacco was emptied out of the packing and
covered over with ore."

"Well, if you believe the sailors and you don't believe me, go on
digging. I can only repeat, the search is futile."

"Very well," replied the disconcerted official, "I shall withdraw all
my men but two, who must remain to watch and make sure of there being
no concealment. Not that I disbelieve you. It is merely a formal
precaution which I hope you will think nothing of."

The whole affair had been reported to the Collector of Customs, and
the master was informed that all things considered, the best thing had
been done in ridding himself of an awkward encumbrance. In a few days
an emissary of the Gibraltar syndicate had an interview with the
captain, and then disappeared. It was said that he was strongly
advised to disappear, lest he should be detained by legal authority.

The owner received the freight paid in advance with obvious pleasure,
like a good, Christian gentleman; but the intelligence of how it was
earned and the disastrous conclusion of the undertaking was listened
to with studied gravity. A sermon on the danger of little sins such
as covetousness and the growing love of money was impressively
p