ed from its weight that it contained nails,
hinges, screws, or some other species of hardware."

"Did you see the captain hand it to the person who gave it to you?"

"No, your honor, I did not. Under the painfully disagreeable circumstances
which have followed the _denouement_ of the depositing of the bag
aforesaid in the locker, I wish to add, if my humble opinion is of any
value to this honorable court, that I do not believe the captain gave
the bag aforesaid to the person of whom I received it."

"Do you know the name of the man who gave it to you?" asked Squire
Cleaves.

"I can only reply that I heard him called Ben,--which I presume is an
abbreviation of Benjamin,--when addressed by his companions."

"It was Ben Seaver," said Levi. "He was on board at the time
mentioned."

"I have no knowledge whatever in regard to his patronymic," added the
cabin steward.

"Why do you say you don't believe the captain handed it to Ben?"
continued the justice.

"Because, your honor, the circumstances do not justify such a
conclusion on my part. It is not reasonable to suppose----"

"Confine yourself to the facts, Mr. Ebenier. We do not care to listen
to an argument," interposed the justice.

"I beg your honor's pardon; to facts, then, will I confine myself. The
captain went directly from the cabin to his boat, and the person whom
his companions called Ben came to me directly from the forecastle. I
did not see him hold any communication with the captain, though he
paused for a moment at the gangway, and looked over the rail into the
boat."

"Might not the captain have handed him the package then?"

"I don't think it was possible, your honor."

"What were the men on the forecastle doing?"

"They were coiling away a spare cable--all but Bob Thomas, who was to
pull the captain ashore; and the visitors were assisting them."

"That will do, Mr. Ebenier; we are much obliged to you for the lucid
manner in which you have given your testimony, which is very
important," said Squire Saunders.

Bob Thomas, who had pulled the captain ashore, and who had been in the
boat with him at the time when he was alleged to have sent the bag to
the steward, was next questioned. He had neither seen the bag, nor seen
Levi speak to Ben Seaver. The rest of the crew were examined, but
nothing was elicited from them. Each of them was asked what had passed
between Ben and himself, but the conversation related entirely to fish
and fishing.