experiments. Thrive so well might have been born here and certainly
mean to die on the spot. Going? Well, good-night. Call again. _Adios._"

By this time Jessica was laughing, as her old friend had meant she should
be. In his contemptuous harangue of the man he disliked and mistrusted,
there had been more humor than anger.

"Well, my lady, that did me good. Haven't had such a thorough
housecleaning of my mean thoughts in quite a spell. Feel all ready for
a fresh voyage under the new captain. You rest run along and find that
long sufferin' mother of yours and tell her the coast's clear of that
pirate craft. We've all shipped men-o'-war, now, and run up the
old flag of truth and love. That was the banner your father floated
from his masthead, and the colors that'll never dip to lying or
cheating. Wait. I'll pack this baby Luis to his bed. Poor little
castaway, that your good father picked up in the canyon and fetched
home in his arms, to share the best with his own. Well, needn't
tell me that the family of a man as good as he was'll ever come to
want. Heave ahead, captain. Show me the track to sail."

Jessica stopped to bid the other ranchmen good-night, then led the sailor
to the little bedroom which the lads shared in common, and where Ned
was already asleep, tucked in his white cot by his mother, who let no
personal grief interfere with her care for others.

"Good-night, dear Samson. I must find that paper. You must help me. My
mother must not, shall not, lose her home."

"Never. Good-night, captain. You've a good crew on deck and we'll make
happy haven yet."

That was Jessica Trent's first wakeful night. Though she tried to lie
quietly in her own little bed, lest she should disturb her mother whose
room she shared, she fancied all sorts of strange sounds, both in-doors
and out; and whenever she dropped into a doze, dreamed of the missing
paper and of searching for it.

One dream was so vivid that she woke, exclaiming:

"Oh, mother! I've found it. The black tin box under the three sharp
rocks!"

But her eyes opened upon vacancy, and there was no response from the
larger bed where her anxious parent had, at last, fallen asleep. Yet the
vision remained, painted upon the darkness, as it were, a sun-lighted
glowing spot, with three pyramidal rocks and a clump of scraggly live
oaks. A spot she had never seen, indeed, but felt that she should
instantly recognize, should she come upon it anywhere.

Then she curled