hout accident, under the skillful management of the skipper, though
the entire party were thoroughly drenched by the spray.

As soon as Leopold had landed his passengers, and securely moored the
sloop, he hastened, before going to the hotel, to the shop of his uncle.
Without any explanation, he dropped upon the watch-maker's counter the
shot-bag, in which the gold chinked as it fell, to the intense
astonishment of Herr Schlager.

[Illustration: "DONNER UND BLITZ." Page 273.]

CHAPTER XV.

THE WALDO'S PASSENGER.

"Donner _und blitz_!" exclaimed Herr Schlager, when he realized that the
wet and sandy bag on the counter before him contained money, for he was
too familiar with the chink of gold to mistake the sound. _"Was haben
sie, hier, Leopold?"_

"Money, gold, specie, coin, _geld_," replied the boatman, hardly less
excited than his Teutonic uncle.

"So mooch golt! Der bag is wet mit der sand, and covered mit salt water!
Himmel! where so much money haf you found, Leopold?"

"Put it in the safe, uncle, and we will talk about it afterwards," added
the young man. "I haven't opened this bag, and I don't want it opened."

"No? What for you want him not to be open?"

"It is not mine."

"Not your money? Dat is bad!"

"I wish it were mine, certainly, uncle; but, as it is not, I mean to
take good care of it for the owner."

"Den I sall seal up der bag for you," replied the watch-maker, taking a
piece of red tape from one of his drawers, which he wound tightly over
the original string of the bag.

Then, lighting the spirit-lamp which he used with his blow-pipe, he
melted a large mass of sealing-wax upon the knot of the red tape, and
pressed upon it the great seal hanging from his watch-chain. Herr
Schlager was a simple-minded man, and doubtless he believed that the
seal was a perfect protection to the contents of the bag. Possibly he
thought that no mortal man would dare to "cut the red-tape." Leopold was
less superstitious in regard to the sanctity of a seal; and he relied
more upon the protective power of the iron safe than upon that of the
tape or seal. His uncle lodged in a little room in the rear of his shop
for the better security of his goods; and the young man felt that the
treasure would be safe in the watch-maker's strong-box. Herr Schlager
dropped the bag into one of the drawers of the safe.

"Now, where you was get him?" demanded the Teuton, as he closed the iron
door.

"I dug it out of the