bout that," said Ethan, who was certainly not less
troubled than his worthy patriarch.

"But they ought not to touch the money--none of them. It belongs to the
heirs of the man that was drowned. It ain't no better'n stealing to keep
the gold," continued Squire Moses, with an overflow of honest
indignation.

"That's so," added Ethan, sharing the virtuous sentiments of his father.
"Of course the money belongs to somebody, if the man that buried it is
dead. But I want to know more about it; and I'm going down to see
Stumpy."

"I'll go with you, Ethan," said the squire; and together they left the
house.

"If they should keep the money, and divide it, Joel's widow would pay
off the mortgage on the house, and Bennington would settle up his
interest money on the first of July, I suppose," mused Ethan aloud, as
they walked along the street.

The landlord of the Island House appeared to be disposed to look the
facts squarely in the face, however disagreeable they might be. If the
money was divided, he could not expect to become the landlord of the new
hotel, which was the height of his ambition.

"I don't know," replied Squire Moses. "I don't go near Bennington now; I
don't say anything to him about the interest money; I don't want to
disturb him, or to set him a thinking. He not only promises to pay the
interest, but he promises to pay it on the first day of July. If he
don't do it at the right time, I shall foreclose. I believe the man is
ruined now; and the longer I wait, the more money I shall lose. He
ought to know that such a big hotel, furnished as extravagantly as the
new house, would not pay in such a place as Rockhaven. He can never
recover himself in the world."

"But, father, even if the boys don't divide the gold, Bennington's
customers will pay him enough to enable him to settle the interest,"
suggested Ethan, whose hopes were somewhat inflated by the reasoning of
his father.

"That may be; but Bennington owes everybody in town, and his expenses
for keeping those New Yorkers in his house are enough to swamp him. I
don't believe he'll think of the interest at all, he's so busy, till
after it is too late. He owes Jones three hundred dollars of borrowed
money, which Jones lent him till the first of July, when he is to pay
the mortgage on his house. I've already told Jones I couldn't wait a
single day for my money; and he will have to make Bennington pay. Then I
have hinted to Green, the market-man, Butler,