between
the barnyard and a potato-patch, lighted a cigar and settled into a
comfortable position to enjoy it. He had not been there many minutes,
before he was startled by the stealthy approach of two persons, a man
and a boy, who stopped a short distance from him and began digging
with a shovel. Clarence listened to the words which the man uttered
for the encouragement of the boy, who was doing the work, and was
amazed to learn that there was a fortune hidden in that field, and
that these two had come there to dig it up. In his eagerness and
excitement Clarence leaned half way over the fence, puffing
vigorously at his cigar all the while. The little round ball of fire
glowing through the darkness caught the eye of the boy, who showed it
to his companion, and the two, frightened almost out of their senses,
took to their heels, leaving the eavesdropper lost in wonder.

Clarence was almost overwhelmed by the discovery he had just made. It
was an opportunity too good to be lost, and he at once resolved that
if there were eighty thousand dollars buried in that field, he must
have a share of the money when it was brought to light. In order to
bring this about, he must find out who this man and boy were. He had
a very slight cue to guide him, but he followed it up so skillfully
that by noon of the next day he knew as much about the eighty
thousand dollars as Godfrey did, and had formed a partnership with
that worthy, Dan being dropped as a useless encumbrance. They met,
according to agreement, as soon as it grew dark. It happened that
there was one who witnessed their interview, and heard all that
passed between them, and that was Don Gordon, who had just returned
from the landing, whither he had been to mail a letter to his cousin.
Not finding the hostler about when he came back, Don attended to his
pony himself, and was about to shut up the barn for the night, when
he discovered what he supposed to be a thief prowling about. The
lighted end of a cigar glowed through the darkness a moment later,
and then Don saw that the prowler was his cousin Clarence. Greatly
amused at his mistake, he was about to make his presence known, when
it occurred to him that since Clarence had taken so much pains to get
out of sight of the family, in order that he might enjoy his cigar,
perhaps he would not like it if Don caught him in the act; so Don
remained in his place of concealment, heard every word that was said
when Godfrey came up, saw b