covery of the _Martha_, he found, made very little improvement in
his prospects. For now she had come back, everybody seemed to be
calculating the amount of money she would have brought in had she
remained at Templeton during the busy season. This loss was estimated
at several times the value of the boat, and the high-principled
prosecutors would hear no suggestion of withdrawing the case until each
one of them--partners, pawnbroker, and all--had been refunded the entire
sum.

Then, when that was done, the lawyers pulled their bills out of their
desks, and hinted that some one would have to settle them; and as
neither the partners, nor the pawnbroker, nor Tom White, saw their way
to doing so, Mr Richardson had to draw his own inferences and settle
them himself. Then, when all seemed settled, the police recollected
that they had had considerable trouble in looking after the case. They
had made several journeys, and spent several hours on the beach looking
out for the supposed thief. They had also had charge of Tom White for a
fortnight; and what with postages, telegrams, and office fees, they were
decidedly out of pocket over the whole business.

The long-suffering father put them in pocket, and after subscribing to
several local charities, and consoling the reporters of the _Templeton
Observer_ and other such outsiders, he retired, jaded, but comforted, to
the "George," feeling that if his mission had been successful, it had
cost him an amount of generosity which he could hardly have believed was
in him.

When Dick, "with shining morning face," presented himself next morning
for breakfast, he little imagined how much of his father's money was at
that moment scattered about in Templeton.

"Huzza! father," said he, when his parent presented himself in the
coffee-room. "Such a game! Cresswell says he'll give us his study this
evening, so our 'Firm's' going to give you a spread. Coote and Georgie
are out ordering the tucker now--kidneys and tea-cake. I asked Winter
when I went for my _exeat_ if we might have you, and he said, 'Yes; he'd
be very glad.' Mind you come. It'll be a stunning spread, and Georgie
and Coote are sure to pick out good things. I wish mother could come
too."

In the face of this hospitable outburst, Mr Richardson could hardly
expatiate on the cost and anxiety of his mission to Templeton. A calmer
moment must do for that. Meanwhile he delighted his son's heart by
accepting his invitat