erhaps he told Mrs. Sykes when he
should return."

"Perhaps he did, and perhaps he told her how much money he had in his
pocket. He was as likely to tell her one as the other. You can ask her,"
sneered Sykes.

As the housekeeper sat on the piazza enjoying the cool evening breeze,
Donald decided to avail himself of this permission, for he desired to
know how well the two stories would agree. He saluted the lady, who gave
him a pleasanter reception than her bearish husband had accorded to him.

"Mr. Sykes told me that Captain Shivernock was away from home," said
Donald. "Can you tell me when he is likely to return?"

"He intended to come back to-night if the wind favored him. He went to
Vinal Haven early this morning, and as you are a sailor, you can tell
better than I whether he is likely to return to-night," replied Mrs.
Sykes.

"The wind is fair, and there is plenty of it," added Donald. "What time
did he leave?"

"About four o'clock. I gave him his coffee at half past three, and it
must have been about four when he went away."

If the outrage at Lincolnville had been committed in "the dead of the
night," it was perfectly evident to Donald that Captain Shivernock had
had nothing whatever to do with it. This conclusion was a great relief
to the mind of the young man; but he had hardly reached it before the
captain himself passed through the gate, and fixed a searching gaze upon
him, as though he regarded him as an interloper.

CHAPTER VII.

LAYING DOWN THE KEEL.

"What are you doing here, Don John?" demanded Captain Shivernock, as he
ascended the steps of the piazza.

"I came to see you, sir," replied Donald, respectfully.

"Well, you see me--don't you?"

"I do, sir."

"Have you been talking to Sykes and his wife?" asked the captain,
sternly.

"I have, sir."

"Have you told them that you saw me on the island?"

"No, sir; not them, nor anybody else."

"It's well for you that you haven't," added the captain, shaking his
head--a significant gesture, which seemed to relate to the future,
rather than to the present. "If you lisp a syllable of it, you will
need a patch on your skull.--Now," he continued, "what do you want of
me?"

"I wanted to talk about the Juno with you. Perhaps I can find a customer
for you."

"Come into the house," growled the captain, as he stalked through the
door.

Donald followed him into a sitting-room, on one side of which was a
secretary, provided with a writi