of the question
for Cuthbert. He had no money himself. His uncle Martin would
certainly not give him the gold in the box for any such
hare-brained scheme; whilst to appeal to Sir Richard, with nothing
to back his statements but what would be looked upon as old wives'
fables and gipsy delusions, would only be to provoke ridicule and
scorn. The Trevlyns had long given up the treasure as lost beyond
recall. They had no sort of hope of recovering it, and the present
owner of the Chase and his lady were in particular very greatly
averse to any sort of dealings with occult magic and gipsy lore.

Cuthbert had a shrewd notion that there was little enough of magic
in any of the words and dark sayings he had heard. He had been let
just a very little behind the scenes, and had his own opinions on
the subject. His faith in spirits and familiars had been greatly
shaken; but he knew that his story would sound wild and improbable,
and he was by no means sure that even Joanna would consent to
appear before Sir Richard and repeat it all to him. She was anxious
to do her part towards making restitution; but, having put the clue
in Cuthbert's hands, would very likely consider that part done, and
decline to be questioned further by any one.

"What I do I must do alone," said Cuthbert to himself, with a sigh,
at the close of that day of toil and discouragement. "Well, I
should have been mightily surprised had I lighted on the treasure
at the close of the first day. I ought not to be thus discouraged,
and yet I am. Still there is one more thing to do. If I can but
watch Long Robin, surely I shall learn somewhat from him. I vow
that that is better far than prowling aimlessly about the dell. Let
me spend my time and strength in building for myself some nook high
up in one of yon trees, from which vantage ground I may spy upon
his doings. If I can but get me up high enough, I can watch him
from spot to spot. Sure I should be stupider than a daylight owl an
I could not learn somewhat from his looks and actions on his next
visit. And it will be safer for me to have mine own perch. I will
venture to sleep one more night in the tree; but after that I will
sleep by day and watch by night, for it is plain that he is a night
bird in his visits here."

The next day Cuthbert set to work with a better heart. It was not
difficult to find the sort of nook he wanted high up in the
branches of a great sycamore. The oaks were hardly thick enough yet
to c