should have remembered it," replied
Laud, with a grin. "I just grabbed my hat, and ran, for I had been in
the house some time; and I got a blessing for being away so long when I
went 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 of
it. Why? is the box lost?"

"I want to get another like it. Haven't you anything of the sort in the
store?"

"We have some cake and spice boxes. They are tin, and painted on the
outside."

"Those will not answer the purpose. It's a very hot day," added the
captain, as he wiped the perspiration from his face, and walked back to
the shade of the shop.

Mr. Laud Cavendish stepped into the sail-boat, hoisted the sails, and
shoved 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 not
noticed that tin box, which had been on a chair out in the middle of
the room? If he had not, why, then he had not; but if he had Laud had
more cunning, more self-control, and more ingenuity than the captain had
ever given him the credit, or the discredit, of possessing, for there
was certainly no sign of guilt in his tone or his manner, except that he
did not look the inquirer square in the face when he answered his
questions, 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 tin
box. If the fellow had stolen it, he would not go off on an island to
stay over Sunday, leaving the box behind to betray him; and this
argument seemed to be conclusive in his favor. The captain had looked
into the boat, and satisfied himself that the box was not there; unless
it was in the basket, which appeared to contain so many other things
that there was no room for it. On the whole, the captain was willing to
acquit Mr. Laud Cavendish of the act, partly, perhaps, because this had
been 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, his
reputation was not first class, though, perhaps, not many people
believed him capable of stealing outright, without the formality of
getting up a mining company, or making a trade of some sort. But Donald
had been the last of the trio of visitors who pas