ried across to Mandrake just in time to be
attracted by the incipient riot aboard the _Whatnot_. Led to the scene
by curiosity, his generous indignation was aroused by the sight of the
helpless old man and his tormentors. Now, to avoid being thanked for
what he had done, he hurried away, released Bim from his confinement on
the wharf-boat, to that bow-legged animal's intense joy, and went to
the hotel for the night.

The next morning, when he came down into the office, the clerk handed
him Mrs. Caspar's letter. He stood by the desk and read it. Then he
read it again, with a frown of perplexity deepening on his forehead.
"Winn here, on board the _Mantel-piece_, and out of money! What can
Ellen mean? She must be losing her mind."

The young man was so engrossed with this letter that he paid no
attention to the other occupants of the room. Thus he did not see
Cap'n Cod and his niece enter the front door, nor notice that the
former was greeted by two men who had been talking earnestly together
and watching him with great interest. Nor did he see Sabella stoop to
pat Bim, who had gone to meet her. He did not notice the entrance a
moment later of a boy with a very puzzled expression of countenance and
an open letter in his hand. Neither did he see that the boy was
accompanied by the printer who had furnished his reward notices, and
who now pointed in his direction, saying, "That's him there. That's
Mr. Brickell."

At the same moment Sabella exclaimed, "Oh, Winn, here's Bim! Isn't he
a dear dog?" Then she too caught sight of Billy Brackett, and pulling
Cap'n Cod by the sleeve, whispered, "There he is, uncle. That is the
gentleman you have come to thank for helping us so splendidly last
evening."

While she was thus whispering into one ear, the night watchman of the
wharf-boat, who stood on the other side of the old man, was saying, in
a low tone, "Yes, sir. As I was just telling the Sheriff, that's the
man as stole his skiff, for I saw him when he landed here in it."

Sheriff Riley, who had only reached Mandrake half an hour before, was
staring at Winn, and saying to himself, "There's the young rascal now.
I knew it wasn't that other fellow, though somehow his face is
strangely familiar too."

There was a momentary hesitation on all sides. Then, as though moved
by a single impulse, Winn started towards Billy Brackett to ask him if
his name was Brickell, Cap'n Cod stepped up to express his heart-felt
gra