The young man in the standing-room of the Sea Foam was Samuel Rodman, a schoolmate of Donald, whose father was a wealthy man, and had ordered another boat like the Skylark, which had been the model for the new yacht. He had come down to see the craft, and had been invited to take a sail in her; but an engagement had prevented him from going as far as Turtle Head, and the boat-builder and his son had returned to land him, intending still to make the trip. By this time Captain Patterdale had reached the end of the wharf. He went on board of the Sea Foam, and looked her over with a critical eye, and was entirely satisfied with her. He was invited to sail in her for as short a time as he chose, but he declined.
"By the way, Donald, did you see the green tin box when you were in my library this afternoon?" he asked, when all the topics relating to the yacht had been disposed of.
"Yes, sir; I saw you take some money from it," replied Donald.
"Did you notice it when you came out--I mean, when you left the house?"
"I don't remember seeing it when I came out," answered Donald, wondering what these questions meant.
"I want to get another box just like that one. Did you take particular notice of it?"
"You didn't stay any time in the library after you came down from Michael's room, did you?"
"No, sir; I only went for my hat, and didn't stay there a minute."
"No, sir; I didn't see it at all when I came out."
"Then of course you didn't see any marks upon it," added the captain, with a smile.
"If I didn't see the box, I shouldn't have been likely to see the marks," laughed Donald. "What marks were they, sir?"
"It's of no consequence, if you didn't see them. The box was in the library--wasn't it?--when you went out."
"I don't know whether it was or not. I only know that I don't remember noticing it," said Donald, who thought the captain's question was a very queer one, after those he had just answered.
The nabob was no better satisfied with Donald's answers than he had been with those of Laud Cavendish, except that the former looked him full in the face when he spoke. He obtained no information, and went home to seek it at other sources.
"I think I won't go out again, Donald," said Mr. Ramsay, when Captain Patterdale had left. "I don't feel very well, and you may go alone."