ction."

"I believe you honestly," replied Mr Rawlings, stretching forth his
hand in token of good faith, which the other cordially grasped; "and,
that being the case, I can tell you something more, which only Seth
Allport and myself know about, and which we have kept to ourselves as a
matter of confidence on the poor boy's behalf. Of course, Captain
Blowser of the _Susan Jane_ knows about it, too, as he was entitled to
by rights, from having picked the little chap up; but he's at sea, and
it doesn't matter whether he divulges it or not, as it wouldn't be of
much consequence to the boy; here on land, however, where anybody might
track him out from interested or other motives, it is a very different
matter; so I must ask you on your word of honour to keep the
circumstance to yourself."

"Most decidedly," said Ernest Wilton heartily; "I pledge you my word I
will--until, at all events, you think it best, should things so happen,
that it ought to be divulged."

"All right," responded Mr Rawlings, trusting implicitly in the other's
discretion. "Now, I'll tell you. When I said that the boy had only his
shirt and trousers on in the way of garments, and that there was nothing
in his pockets to disclose his identity, I related you only the simple
truth, for there was nothing to trace him by; and I remember that
Captain Blowser, of the _Susan Jane_, regretted afterwards that the spar
to which we found him lashed had been cut adrift, without any one having
examined it carefully to see whether there might not have been the name
of the ship painted on the yard, or a portion of the canvas, or
something else in the top along with the boy--for there was the topmast
and yard, and all the gear of the whole mast complete, as if it had been
carried away in a moment. But you recollect what I told you, of the
boy's dashing out of the cabin as if he had been taken with a sudden
frenzy, and going to rescue Seth Allport when he was swept over the side
by the broken topsail-halliards in that squall?"

"Yes, quite well," answered Ernest Wilton.

"Well, after that he fainted away almost dead again for some time; and
when I was bending over him trying to rouse him, I noticed a thin silken
string round his neck, which I hadn't noticed previously, nor had Jasper
the steward, although his shirt had been opened there, and his bosom
bared in our efforts to resuscitate him, when he first took him down
into the cabin."

"A fine silken string?"