t as soon as it
was awakened. If the New Yorkers staid till the dreaded pay-day, even
the whole of their bills would not pay the amount of his indebtedness;
but it was not probable that they would remain at the house more than a
day or two longer. The most that he could expect from them was enough to
pay Jones, who had threatened to force him into insolvency if he was not
paid.

Everything, therefore looked very gloomy and dark to the landlord, when
his son entered the office.

"You were in a great hurry to get rid of the money you found, Leopold,"
said Mr. Bennington, rather reproachfully.

"I had to be honest, father," replied the son.

"If you had kept still for a few weeks, I might have used the money, and
paid it off in the fall. Of course I didn't mean to have you keep it;
but if I could have had the use of it even a month, it would have saved
me. As it is, I must fail," groaned the landlord. "I can't get over the
first of July any way in the world."

"How much do you owe, father?" asked Leopold.

"About a thousand dollars, which I must pay right off. Mr. Hamilton's
party will probably leave three or four hundred dollars with me; but
that won't save me."

"Well, father, you shall have money enough to pay all you owe, except
the mortgages, to-morrow night," added Leopold, lightly.

"What do you mean?" demanded the landlord, opening his eyes.

"By being honest I have made some good friends. After Stumpy had paid of
the mortgage on his mother's house, which Squire Moses was on the point
of taking from the family, he offered to lend you all the rest of the
money which the gold brings."

"Stumpy?"

"His mother agreed to it, and you will give her a note for the amount,
which Mr. Hamilton promised to indorse."

"But how much money will there be?" asked Mr. Bennington, bewildered by
this unexpected succor.

"Nearly eighteen hundred dollars."

"That will be more than I want."

"You need not take any more than you need; I think the hidden treasure
meets your case better than if I had not found the heirs so soon."

"I declare, I feel as if a ten-ton weight had been lifted from the top
of my head!" exclaimed the landlord.

"I feel better about it now than I should if I had stolen the hidden
treasure," added Leopold.

"So do I. But I will take only twelve hundred dollars of this money; and
I am satisfied that I shall be able to pay it at the end of the season."

The next day the Orion made her excursio