eplied the officer.

"That makes over a hundred dollars," said Captain Gildrock, knitting his
brow as though he did not like the looks of this fact. "Where did he
get so much money, if he did not steal it?"

"That's the question, Captain Gildrock," interposed Pearl, who spoke for
the first time since the narrative was begun. "When you have looked into
the matter, you will find that he stole it."

"I don't know where he got it," Peppers proceeded. "That is none of my
business. All I know is, that none of the money found upon Dory, and
none that he had paid out, was the bills Moody lost."

"But have you no idea where my nephew got so much money?" asked the
captain.

"I have not the remotest idea, Captain Gildrock. It don't concern me to
know, and I make it a rule to mind my own business. But I did find some
of Moody's money in Plattsburgh. One five with the stamp on it was paid
for a pistol, and the other for the provisions taken on board of the
Missisquoi. Both of them came from Hawlinshed."

"It is a lie!" exclaimed Pearl with an oath.

"Both of the shopkeepers are ready to swear to the identity of their
man. Now, I shall take the liberty to do what I have not had an
opportunity to do before. I shall search the prisoner. Before I do it I
should like to have you look at these two bills, Captain Gildrock. They
are the fives paid for the pistol and the provisions by Hawlinshed." And
Peppers handed him the bank-notes.

"It will be an easy matter to identify these bills. In addition to the
stamp on them, this is the first time they have ever been out of the
bank," said the captain, after he had looked at the bills.

Pearl was furious when the officer, assisted by Moody, attempted to
search him. Moody handled him very roughly, and he was forced to submit
to the operation. Peppers took from a pocket inside of his vest a
wallet, which was found to contain quite a roll of new bills. The
detective spread a couple of them out on the top of the centre-board
casing. The red stamp appeared upon them, and they were exactly like
those in the hands of the captain.

"It is a plain case, and I have nothing more to say," said Captain
Gildrock. "You have made out your case, and I shall not interfere with
your taking your prisoner to Plattsburgh."

"I knew you would be satisfied when you heard the case," added Peppers,
as he put the money he had taken from Pearl into his pocket-book, and
returned it to his pocket.

"I am entir