id."

"Had any one told you the bag was there?"

"Well, I can't say any one told me it was there," replied Cooke, with
some embarrassment.

"You can't?"

"No, sir; I can't."

"What induced you to look for the money on board of the yacht?"

"I was pretty well satisfied that Levi stole that money, and being he
was goin' off on a cruise, I thought likely he would put some on't on
board to use. That's what made me expect to find it there," added
Constable Cooke, with a more satisfied expression on his face, for the
explanation he had given appeared to meet the exigencies of the case.

"Did you reason this out yourself, or did some one suggest the idea to
you?"

"Well, some one spoke to me about it, but----"

"Precisely so! Who spoke to you about it?"

"No one said much to me, and I----"

"But who said anything?" interposed the squire.

"Well, Captain Vincent said I might find the bag--he didn't say I
_should_ find it."

CHAPTER X.

MR. C. AUGUSTUS EBENIER.

Squire Cleaves had brought out from the unwilling witness the fact that
he wanted, and Dock Vincent was put upon the stand. The learned counsel
adroitly conveyed the information that the witness had been convicted
of crime, and had served a term in the state prison--which, though it
did not exclude him from giving evidence, might affect his credibility.
This statement roused the ire of Dock, and he was cross and sullen,
which is a very bad state of mind to be in when subjected to the
torture of a skilful lawyer.

Dock described the manner in which he had assisted Mr. Fairfield in
finding his money. He had done all that an honest man and a good
neighbor should do to help a feeble old man; and it wasn't right for
"one-horse lawyers" to insult him.

"Do you consider yourself insulted, Captain Vincent?" asked the squire.

"Yes, sir; I do!"

"Have you been convicted of a crime?"

"What if I have? There was no justice in it," growled Dock.

"Have you served a term in the state prison?"

"If I have, it wasn't a fair thing; and a good many better men than you
or me have spent years in prison."

"Undoubtedly, but our best men don't usually graduate at the state
prison. You admit the facts as I stated them. Now, Captain Vincent, you
were employed by Mr. Fairfield in finding the money he lost."

"I said so; I was."

"Did you tell the constable he would find the bag on board of the
yacht?"

"No, sir; I did not."

"What did you tell him?"