he blockade."

"Oh, the skipper will find plenty of pilots in Newbern," replied Jack,
who was not a little astonished to learn that the news of his return had
already got abroad in the settlement. "If I can't ship on something
better than a blockade-runner, I will stay ashore."

"But they do say there's a power of money in it," said the girl. "Is
that a fact, Marcy? Paw must have got safe out and back from Nassau, or
else you wouldn't be here now. Did he make much, do you reckon?"

"I believe he calculated on clearing about twenty-five thousand
dollars," answered Marcy, who was looking over the package of letters he
had taken from his pocket.

"I say!" exclaimed the girl, fairly dancing with delight. "If paw made
that much he must get me the new dress I want, and that's a word with a
bark onto it. That letter for me? Sarvent, sar. Good-bye."

"I don't see why Beardsley went to the trouble of writing to her," said
Jack, as the two turned about and rode away. "She can't read a word of
it."

"And I am very glad she can't," answered Marcy. "She will take it to old
Mrs. Brown, most likely, and if she does, she might as well stick it up
in the post-office. Mrs. Brown is a regular built gossip, and if there
is anything in the letter about me, as I think there is, I shall be sure
to hear of it. But don't it beat you how things get around? Just see how
much that girl knows; and I haven't been out of the house since I came
home yesterday afternoon. I tell you there are spies all about us. Don't
trust any one you may meet in town. Tell just the story you want
published, and nothing else. And don't forget that before you sleep
to-night I want you to bury seventeen hundred dollars for me. You've got
two good hands."

"Marcy, I am almost afraid to do it," replied Jack. "Suppose some one
should watch us and dig it up as soon as we went away?"

"We'll take Bose with us for a sentry, and slip out of the house after
everybody else has gone to bed. We'll take all the precautions we can
think of and trust to luck. There's Nashville; now be as big a rebel as
you please. I know they'll not believe a word of it, but that won't be
your fault."

As Marcy expected, the first one to rush out of the post-office and
greet them, as they were hitching their horses, was young Allison. He
gave the sailor's hand a hearty shake, and then he turned to Marcy.

"Really, I am surprised to see you here, and in citizen's clothes, too,"
said the lat